About this interview

Sharon Steed is the founder of Communilogue, a consultancy focused on teaching empathy and inclusion. As a person who stutters, Sharon felt uncomfortable talking to others, especially groups. Her fears and discomfort sidelined her from making progress toward many of life’s milestones. She eventually figured out how to be okay with her insecurity and those courageous efforts have opened a lot of doors, many of which allow her to help others.

In this episode, Sharon helps us look at the skills of feeling and showing empathy. She breaks down an ‘empathy mindset’ consisting of perspective, patience, and connection.We touch on the roles of vulnerability and curiosity in the journey toward empathy, and we look at some differences between sympathy and empathy.

 

List of skills discussed

• Empathy
• Vulnerability
• Curiosity
• Sympathy
• Courage
• Overcoming difficulty

 

Tip for communicating with empathy

• Approach conversations from a place of openness
• Remind yourself to leave judgment behind
• Prepare yourself to be curious before entering a conversation

 

Links

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-steed/
• Communilogue: https://www.communilogue.co/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/sharonsteed

LinkedIn Course: Driving Inclusion with Empathy