Empathy
Measuring a Person by the Size of Their Heart: The True Essence of Success
Photo by DESIGNECOLOGIST on Unsplash
It can be easy to lose sight of what truly matters in a world that constantly measures success by wealth, power, and social status. Tom Peters, a renowned business thinker and author invites us to reevaluate our priorities by reminding us that the essence of a person’s worth lies in the size of their heart. We can experience deeper connections, purpose, and true success by cultivating empathy, compassion, and emotional intelligence.
Tom Peters has long championed that the human element is key to success in business and life. As he puts it, “People are not a ‘soft’ issue; they are the issue.” In essence, the size of one’s heart, or the depth of emotional intelligence, is a powerful predictor of personal growth and success.
Empathy, the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, is a vital component of emotional intelligence. It enables us to form meaningful relationships, foster collaboration, and create a supportive environment. By putting ourselves in another’s shoes, we can better appreciate their perspective, needs, and emotions. This understanding can improve communication, foster stronger bonds, and create a more harmonious and productive workplace or home life.
Compassion goes hand-in-hand with empathy, urging us to take action when we witness others in need. A compassionate person not only recognizes the suffering of others but feels compelled to alleviate it. By extending kindness and support, we create positive energy that can transform lives and ultimately contribute to a more caring and inclusive society.
Benefits of a Healthy Heart
The benefits of cultivating a large heart extend far beyond our immediate circle. When we are empathetic and compassionate, we are more likely to lead purposefully and pursue goals that resonate with our core values. This alignment of values and actions can bring satisfaction, contentment, and lasting success.
How to Build a Healthy Heart
So, how can we go about enlarging our hearts? First, we must practice active listening, paying full attention to others, and seeking to understand their point of view without judgment. We can also work on developing our emotional vocabulary, as the ability to accurately identify and express our feelings will enable us to connect with others on a deeper level.
Furthermore, we can engage in self-reflection, considering our actions and their impact on others, and practice mindfulness to stay present and attuned to the emotions of those around us. By cultivating a greater understanding of ourselves and others, we can foster an environment of trust, respect, and collaboration.
In sum, measuring a person by the size of their heart may seem abstract, but its implications are profound. Tom Peters reminds us that a large heart – empathetic, compassionate, and emotionally intelligent – is the key to personal growth, meaningful relationships, and true success. By shifting our focus from material wealth to the development of our emotional intelligence, we can create a world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and find their unique path to success.
Applied Empathy
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
In “Applied Empathy” by Michael Ventura, the author emphasizes the importance of empathy in leadership and creating deep connections with others. In a world where we are constantly distracted by technology, cultivating it to lead and engage with people effectively is more important than ever.
Ventura argues that empathy is essential for creating meaningful experiences. Whether it is for team members, consumers, vendor partners, or investors – the principle applies. By understanding and considering the needs and feelings of others, we can design and build something truly unique.
For example, it can create a sense of community and foster positive relationships with residents in your multifamily communities. Property managers can create a more extraordinary living environment by showing compassion and understanding toward the needs of residents.
The author encourages readers to prioritize it personally and professionally. Empathy creates deep connections with others; we can build stronger relationships, solve problems more effectively, and create a more compassionate world.
If you’re looking for a thought-provoking read, this book is worth checking out.
Multifamily Monday: Empathetic Listening
I love Monday – one of my favorite days of he week.
Today, we are doing a down and dirty lesson on empathetic listening or a fancy way of saying – pay attention. Empathetic listen is active listening or seeking first to understand and then to be understood. The goal being two-fold – listen on an emotional level as well as a cognitive level. In other words you aim to get a sense of how they feel and what they are thinking. And, remember empathy is not sympathy. Empathy speaks from experience; sympathy is there in support of.
Two Questions – Going Deep
When communicating with any one of your apartment residents over any issue, good or bad, use the following two questions to go deeper. If they are in your office complaining about a leaky faucet for the third time this week [and, presupposing you have experienced a persistent leaking faucet in your lifetime], stop and listen. Once they are done talking ask, “how does that make you feel. Or, suggest, “I can imagine that makes feel very frustrated or angry.
It seems obvious but many times, in our haste to get the cranky people out of our office, we don’t take time to validate their feelings. Guess what, that makes a person even more frustrated or angry. All that most people are after is an outlet to vent their anger, frustration or the such and they want the problem fixed. That is where the second question comes in. It is more cognitive in nature.
At the end of understanding their emotion; repeat the reason for the anger or frustration; “I see Mr. Ineedamyfaucetfixed; this is the third time this week you have been in to report your leaky faucet. Our service person has been over two times and still you have a leaky faucet. It bugs you because you are a light sleeper and the persistent drip against the aluminum sink keeps you up. And, you don’t think you should have to put a cup or a rag under the drip to soften the sound. You just want it fixed.”
Your – seeking first to understand – multifamily maniac,
M
Multifamily Monday: Empathy – Care
“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” – Origin not 100% known.
Empathy – Care
Empathy can be defined as having the ability to relate. For example, if you are speaking to someone who lives in your apartment community about their son’s soccer game over the weekend and you have a son that plays soccer – you can empathize. And, empathy is the perfect foundation for caring.
If you can empathize – you can care. And, when you care people will respond.
Take the time today to reach out and initiate some conversation. Be it with people you work with and for or with the people who you serve and that serve you in return.
Don’t accept the canned answers and don’t ask canned questions. Let the weather take care of itself. That is the easy stuff.
Ask deeper questions and if your weekend sucked – say so. Don’t be surprised if your audience can relate.
Your – caring to empathize – multifamily maniac,
M
