We all know that demonstrating empathy is critical to developing relationships, but it is also critical for business.

A study by the consulting firm Catalyst examining 889 employees found that when leaders were empathetic, 61% of employees are able to innovate compared to only 13% of employees with less empathetic leaders.

They also found that 76% of people who experienced empathy from their leaders reported they were engaged compared with only 32% who experienced less empathy.

When people felt their leaders were more empathetic, 86% reported they are able to navigate the demands of their work and life, successfully juggling their personal, family and work obligations. This is compared with 60% of those who perceived less empathy.

Clearly there is a link between empathy and better workplace cultures. The challenge is how do we make empathy a regular business practice?

In the book Tell Me More About That, brand strategist and thought leader Rob Volpe draws on his years of research conducting thousands of in-home interviews with everyday people to illustrate the 5 Steps to Empathy. These are the actions you and I can take to build a strong and reflexive empathy muscle. 

Rob is joining us on today’s episode to share these insights, explaining what empathy is and what it is not and the different kinds of empathy we may experience.

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