Work empathy and life empathy are two different things, yet we attempt to conflate them. By work empathy, I am talking about the empathetic processes like that in Design Thinking where product teams go through in order to better understand the person they are building a product for. This type of empathy is typically very surface oriented and focused at an inanimate object (digital/physical goods). All opinions are projected at the thing and not the person. While behavior is in question, teams working here are focused on finding things to improve upon or build in order to solve a problem.

Life empathy is not focused on a product or on solving peoples' problems. Its purpose is to help us have compassionate understanding of one another. The key to empathy moving humanity forward is compassion. Without real compassion, empathy, like any other skill, can be used against each other. This type of compassionate understanding can create amazing communities of people that are collectively empowered to achieve great things. It can also help create bridges between people that haven't been given the chance to be heard and understood. Without compassion from both sides, bridges are extremely difficult to build.

Start from a place of compassion, lead with empathy, and find others that hold these values true. They shouldn't have to believe the same things you do as long as they understand and respect your beliefs.

Much to think about on a late night.

With energy,

Shelton