Leadership Strength#5 – Empathy (MMP #35)

Employee Engagement – Monday Morning Percolator #35

This is part 5 of a 5 part series on leadership strength development through the application of StrengthsFinder 2.0.

Click here to read the first article in the series.

Here is the schedule outlining my strength focus:

1. Maximizer (Week 1)
2. Strategic (Week 2)
3. Positivity (Week 3)
4. Ideation (Week 4)
5. Empathy (Week 5)

Here is a quick review of the process of working on our strengths:

• Complete the StrengthsFinder 2.0 inventory.
• Scan your top 5 strengths
• Study your first strength
• Outline strength based actions for the first week.
• Implement your action plan
• Review your progress
• Repeat the the process with the next strength on your list.
• Click here to download a one page PDF form to assist in your strength work.

Review Week 4: Last Week’s Strength (Ideation)

I was able to work a lot with my strategic strength during the past week. I found times before flying in airports an excellent time to use strategic thinking for the variety of projects requiring my attention. Two projects had a number of significant external developments and I was able to use this strength to navigate through some of the changes.

I believe that I may have missed some of my own strength resources had I not had a specific focus on this strength last week. It was a busy week and this series focusing on a specific strength gave some structure to ensure that the strength was applied.

Outline Week 4: This Week’s Strength (Empathy)

People who are especially talented in the Empathy theme can sense the feelings of other people by imagining themselves in others’ lives or others’ situations.

Empathy Action Plan

1. My background is in counselling psychology. Empathy is the key approach and skill in the practice of counselling. I will look at using the strength and skills I have developed in this area to other relationships.

2. I will apply empathy to get a close up view of how my customers view my services and ensure that I approach my interactions with them from this perspective.

3. I will consciously apply more empathy in general social situations and family relationships and ensure that I communicate more of my understanding from this perspective.

4. I will live my favorite empathy line: Seek first to understand and demonstrate that understanding before seeking to be understood.

Next Week: Conclusion and review.

Photo Credit: Empathy in a carton by http://flickr.com/photos/geoffjones/526861820/

Written by  David Zinger, M. Ed.