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: Any final thoughts on your aspirations for empathy in the workforce and in the world?
: I do believe that we need a better language around empathy. I think that we need to understand that empathy also runs through our belief systems, it runs through our comfort systems, and it runs through the archaeology of our lives. It doesn’t pop up as a field in a learning management system or in a workforce support system. I don’t believe that a Myers Briggs test can evaluate your ability to demonstrate empathy or that you’re a “dark purple” or number 72 on “X” test/rating/scale. So, I think we need to develop a new way of communicating about empathy, of addressing empathy, and even laughing about empathy to pull all this together.
What has been so powerful for us about the Empathy Concerts is understanding the role that storytelling plays in our lives, understanding the role that music plays in our lives, and understanding the role that deep engagement in special moments plays in our lives. I’ve come away knowing that, in many instances, I’d rather use a piece of music than a 32-slide PowerPoint deck in a webinar, particularly one about human process.
Finally, I’ve learned that, as a professional in the world of learning and performance and human resources, on some level I am also a performer. I need to use authentic design that connects with the realities of people and do it in a way that honors and extends the humanity and the performance of our workforces and our organizations.
From
Brooke Thomas-Record
I have developed my own concept of empathy, which is this:
Empathy is the relentless pursuit of understanding and appreciating someone else’s perspective, knowing we might never fully grasp or agree with it. It is respecting viewpoints that differ from our own because we recognize that every person has unique life experiences that shape their perceptions and beliefs. Empathy is work that requires regular self-reflection, and it is the ultimate recognition of our shared humanity.
This definition is the result of me spending the past year focusing on empathy in a variety of ways (e.g., helping produce Empathy Concerts, sourcing and editing content for this eBook, interviewing learning professionals around the world about their pandemic experiences, etc.). I hope that my ability to be empathic has grown and will continue to strengthen over time.
(Editor)
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