Last week’s Thought was; “The Path to True Connection” and the difference between empathy and sympathy. You can see this and all of my previous blogs HERE.
One of the most important aspects of coaching is having Empathy with the person who is being coached. When we coach people, how are we being empathic?
If we are sympathetic with them, this can be very disempowering and we would rather build them up, right?
How do we feel when someone sympathises with us, rather than showing empathy?
I’d like to share an example with you of empathy in action (and this can be in any kind of conversation, not just when coaching):
Let’s say that someone has lost their confidence and struggling to overcome a problem. They say they are feeling stuck.
If we just say something like “You poor thing, it must be terrible to feel like that”
On a scale of 1 – 10, how empowering is that?
Whereas, if we summarised what they just told us to check we have got it right and then asked a question more like this; “In the past, when you struggled with something, how did you overcome it?”
On a scale of 1 – 10, how empowering is that?
I would say that the second one is closer to a 10.
Why? Because it’s non-judgemental and says that we believe in them and they can overcome this.
The chances are that they have overcome something in the past. By us reminding them and taking them there, they can tap into that positive energy to ignite resolve, resilience and negotiate their way through this struggle.
I would be interested to hear your thoughts and experiences with this.
“There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time.”
-Malcolm X-
[African American religious leader and civil rights activist]
I will leave you with that thought and will be in touch again soon with more thoughts and tips.
With best wishes for your success,
PS: I invite you to book a free call with me if you haven’t already – choose a time that best works for you HERE
Thrive Coaching & Training – Empowering you to Thrive!