We all know what it feels like to be misunderstood. Frustration, anger, worry or annoyance are likely to show up. When we try to explain our feelings and thoughts, but the other person doesn't get it.
What if we could learn to communicate more effectively with others to create opportunities for everyone involved to feel heard and understood?
What advantages does empathy have in communications?
Empathy is not only a key to developing compassionate relationships but also plays an important role in successful communication within a team. Those who express empathy are more appreciated leaders and inspire others.
How do you show empathy in a conversation?
Empathy is recognizing and sometimes sharing another person's feelings. It involves different aspects:
- Acknowledge others’ pain.
- Share how you feel.
- Show gratitude that the other opened up.
- Show interest.
- Be encouraging.
- Be supportive.
Okay, that’s the theoretical part – empathy in communication can help you build stronger relationships with people in your life. Being there for others is not about fixing their problems or giving tips on how to solve their situation. It's about listening, exploring together, and validating. But it is often hard to show up when others are troubled. Oftentimes we don’t know what to say and instead withdraw. These examples can come in handy to support you when you’re looking to support others.
Also, remember that being silent is totally fine. Just being present can sometimes be the greatest support.
Empathy example statements for friends
Being a supportive friend is about more than being there for the good times. It is also about being present and trying to understand during trying periods. Here are some examples for what to say after somebody losing someone dear, or sharing their sadness from a bad breakup:
- I'm here for you, no matter what.
- It sounds like you did everything you could.
- I know how you feel.
- That must have been really tough for you.
- Thank you for sharing that with me.
- Your feelings are valid.
- I'm sorry you had to go through that.
- I'm always here if you need to talk.
- You are not alone in this.
- I can see now how difficult this has been.
- The situation sounds very discouraging.
- I completely understand why you would be frustrated.
- What a day you've had.
Empathy example statements for romantic partners
Empathy also plays an essential role in romantic relationships. It strengthens our bond when we show our partners we share their feelings in good and bad times. This list aims to help us better express our emotions by providing encouragement or simply identifying phrases that show we share a common perspective.
- I know times are tough, and I'm here for you.
- I see how difficult this situation is for you.
- What you're saying makes so much sense to me.
- I wish I had been there with you when that happened.
- That must have hurt your feelings.
Empathy example statements for coworkers and employees
If we want to be effective leaders, one of our responsibilities is to encourage coworkers or team members when they're struggling. This can be a difficult conversation to have, but the statements below can help ensure that we communicate our empathy effectively:
- I know you dedicated a lot of time to this, and I understand how disheartening it is to see the project scrapped.
- Not knowing what will happen is really tough.
- That can be confusing and discouraging.
- If that happened to me, I would feel upset too.
- Time of change is hard, and it’s normal to be anxious about this.
- I would be upset if someone talked to me that way too.
- I can hear the concern in your voice.
- It seems like you feel no one even listened to your idea.
- It isn't easy to deal with stuff like this.
- It's been a difficult couple of weeks.
