Why Empathy Is the Most Essential Skill for Building Strong Professional Relationships. Periodt.
In the world of professional relationships, skills that maximize efficiency and outcomes are often prioritized and celebrated.
You know the ones: strategic thinking, communication, time management, multitasking.
Skills that produce lots of widgets.
Because…capitalism.
While these abilities are undeniably important, there’s one skill that consistently rises above the rest: empathy.
Empathy is the foundation of trust, collaboration, and mutual respect—qualities that define strong, sustainable professional connections.
For professionals navigating high-stakes environments or those managing ADHD, the ability to understand and relate to others’ experiences can be transformative.
What Is Empathy and Why Does It Matter?
Empathy is the ability to recognize, understand, and share the feelings of another person.
It goes beyond sympathy, which involves feeling pity or sorrow for someone else’s situation.
Empathy allows you to put yourself in another person’s shoes and truly grasp their perspective.
You don’t necessarily have to agree with their perspective, but empathy helps you understand why someone might feel a certain way and brainstorm ways to work together for solutions.
Empathy is the baseline for connection and collaboration.
Why It Matters: Research from the Harvard Business Review highlights that empathetic leaders and colleagues foster more inclusive, engaged, and productive work environments. For individuals with ADHD, empathy can be a powerful tool to navigate social dynamics and reduce misunderstandings.
1. Empathy Builds Trust
Trust is the cornerstone of any successful professional relationship.
Without it, collaboration falters, and communication breaks down.
Empathy plays a critical role in establishing trust by demonstrating that you genuinely care about others’ experiences and perspectives.
How to Cultivate It: Practice active listening. Show interest in your colleagues’ concerns by asking open-ended questions and validating their feelings. For example, if a team member expresses frustration, acknowledge their emotions by saying, “That sounds really challenging. How can I support you?”
Supporting Evidence: A study published in Psychological Science found that employees who felt their managers were empathetic reported higher levels of trust and job satisfaction.
Additional Resource: A great blog for more information about active listening in a professional setting is this little ditty by the Harvard Business Review.
2. Empathy Enhances Collaboration
Effective teamwork requires understanding and accommodating diverse perspectives.
That’s right – we used the D-word.
This is why Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are actually the cornerstones of high-quality, collaborative teams.
Different perspectives means different, creative methods for problem-solving – and empathy helps bridge gaps in communication, ensuring that everyone feels heard and valued.
How to Cultivate It: During group discussions, actively seek out different viewpoints. Encourage quieter team members to share their ideas and consider how each person’s contributions align with the team’s goals.
Supporting Evidence: The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science reports that empathetic teams are more innovative and productive, as members feel safe to share ideas without fear of judgment.
Additional Resource: Here’s a fantastic article from Heart Count about how to build a Culture of Collaboration.
3. Empathy Reduces Conflict
Workplace conflicts are inevitable, but how they’re handled can make or break professional relationships.
Empathy allows you to approach disagreements with curiosity and compassion rather than defensiveness.
In fact, there’s research that proves that when we approach situations with curiosity, it’s impossible to feel resentment. Because we are necessarily leading with empathy.
How to Cultivate It: When conflicts arise, follow this template:
Pause and notice how you are feeling.
Take a breath to calm the intensity and create space for another perspective. The thing about conflict is that all perspectives are different and none of them are fact; the truth usually is some combination of everyone’s perspective.
Lead with an open-ended question, like “what happened for you?”
Focus on listening to the other person and understanding the other their perspective before presenting your own.
Use phrases like, “I can see why you feel that way,” to acknowledge their emotions and create space for constructive dialogue. Also, express gratitude for their openness and sharing.
Supporting Evidence: According to the International Journal of Conflict Management, empathetic communication reduces the duration and intensity of workplace conflicts, fostering healthier interactions.
Additional Resource: An Alternative to the Ultimatum: A Guide for Having a Healthy Hard Conversation
4. Empathy Strengthens Leadership
Empathetic leaders inspire loyalty and motivation by showing genuine care for their team’s well-being.
This leadership style encourages open communication and fosters a positive work culture.
According to an article from Forbes, empathic leaders inspire innovation, increase engagement and retention, improve feelings of inclusivity while also encouraging better work-life balance.
How to Cultivate It: Schedule regular check-ins with team members to discuss not just their work but also their personal challenges and goals. For example, ask,
“How are you feeling about your workload?”
“What are some of your personal and professional goals?”
“What type of support works best for you?”
Supporting Evidence: Research from the Center for Creative Leadership shows that empathetic leaders are perceived as more effective by their teams and achieve better performance outcomes.
5. Empathy Encourages Growth and Feedback
Feedback is essential for growth, but it can be difficult to deliver or receive if you haven’t strengthened that empathy muscle. An empathetic approach to feedback ensures that it is constructive and fosters personal and professional development.
How to Cultivate It: When giving feedback, balance honesty with kindness. Rather than immediately jumping to punitive consequences, frame critiques as opportunities for growth. Start with an observation about what happened and offer actionable suggestions for improved future outcomes. For instance, “I noticed that this project didn’t meet the deadline. Let’s discuss how we can create a timeline together that works better for both of us.” Also, understand that for ADHDers, organizational tools might need to be more tactile and interactive; sometimes automated isn’t best.
Supporting Evidence: Studies in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes highlight that empathetic feedback leads to greater acceptance and implementation of suggestions because it facilitates equitable collaboration – thus mitigating potential demand avoidance.
Additional Resource: Delivering Feedback: Use Curiosity & Empathy to Improve Performance (Forbes, 2024)
6. Empathy Supports Inclusion
The recent political and corporate elimination of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion language, policies, and initiatives will stagnate innovation because there are no longer environments that value, nurture or facilitate diversity of thought.
So, despite your feelings about working with people who are different from you, research shows that DEI produces better, more creative products and outcomes.
Therefore, in today’s diverse workplaces, inclusion is not just a moral imperative—it’s a business necessity.
Empathy is the key to understanding and valuing the experiences of individuals from different backgrounds and identities.
How to Cultivate It: Educate yourself about different cultural perspectives and experiences. Approach differences with curiosity rather than judgment, and actively seek to learn from colleagues with diverse viewpoints.
Supporting Evidence: A study by Deloitte found that organizations with empathetic, inclusive cultures see higher levels of engagement and retention among employees.
Additional Resource: Attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Have Consequences (Fourth Economy, 2024)
7. Empathy Improves Customer Relationships
Empathy isn’t just for internal workplace dynamics; it’s also critical for building strong relationships with clients and customers. Understanding their needs and challenges fosters trust and loyalty.
How to Cultivate It: Practice active listening during client interactions. Ask questions to fully understand client pain points and tailor solutions to their specific needs.
Supporting Evidence: According to research published in The Journal of Business Research, empathetic customer service increases satisfaction and brand loyalty.
Practical Steps to Build Empathy
If empathy doesn’t come naturally, don’t worry—it’s a skill that can be developed with practice.
But make no mistake, it does take work, and often the process of unlearning is uncomfortable.
So buckle up, and get ready to face some hard truths about harm and repair.
Here are some actionable steps to enhance your empathy:
Practice Perspective-Taking: Imagine how a situation looks and feels from another person’s point of view.
Cultivate Curiosity: Ask thoughtful questions and listen without judgment.
Develop Emotional Intelligence: Pay attention to your own emotions and how they influence your interactions. Use nuanced emotional language rather than generalized terms like “happy, sad, angry, and upset.”
Engage in Active Listening: Focus on the speaker’s words, tone, and body language.
Reflect on Your Biases: Identify and challenge assumptions that may hinder your ability to empathize.
Final Thoughts
Empathy is not a soft skill—it’s a critical competency for building strong professional relationships.
Whether you’re navigating workplace dynamics, leading a team, or connecting with clients, empathy allows you to foster trust, collaboration, and mutual respect.
Remember: developing empathy takes time and effort, but the rewards are well worth it.
By prioritizing empathy in your interactions, you’re not just strengthening your relationships—you’re creating a more inclusive and supportive professional environment.
Citations
Harvard Business Review. (2021). The role of empathy in effective leadership. Retrieved from https://hbr.org
Psychological Science. (2022). Empathy and trust in workplace relationships. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/home/pss
Journal of Applied Behavioral Science. (2020). Empathy and collaboration in team dynamics. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/home/jab
International Journal of Conflict Management. (2023). Empathy in conflict resolution: Best practices. Retrieved from https://www.emerald.com
Center for Creative Leadership. (2022). Empathetic leadership and team performance. Retrieved from https://www.ccl.org
Deloitte. (2021). The impact of empathy on workplace inclusion. Retrieved from https://www2.deloitte.com
Journal of Business Research. (2022). Empathy and customer satisfaction. Retrieved from https://www.journals.elsevier.com