How to practice empathy

- Empathy is the ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes and attempt to understand their perspective, even if you don't completely agree with their actions. Though it may be difficult, try to take a step back and view the situation with your boss objectively. Most bad bosses are not bad people, so it's important to consider why your boss might be behaving a certain way. Putting distance between yourself and the issue will help you practice empathy and make adjustments accordingly that may better the situation. Here are three key empathetic questions to ask yourself to better understand your difficult boss. Number one, is this behavior a change in the way your boss normally behaves? Is this a change, maybe that's triggered by something? While it may not be your responsibility to solve the issue, you may consider ways that you can effectively manage the symptoms now that you have a different perspective. Number two, are there any circumstances that I'm aware of that may be causing the shift in behavior from my boss? Remember, you're not making excuses. You're seeking understanding. What's the why for this change? Number three, is there anything I might be able to do to support my boss during this time, even though my boss may not be able to say what's needed? You'll learn more about this in our lesson on how to be an effective communicator. But in short, ask how you can help. While there's no excuse for bad behavior, your ability to practice empathy will help you assess the situation objectively and determine the best course of action. Give it a try and let me know how it goes.