Category: Storytelling

How an empathic culture gets built

Workplace Culture is built in everyday moments and tested during the difficult moments. Difficult moments test us at work too and can be determining factors on how we are perceived at doing our jobs.  If your job is a field goal kicker and you miss a game winning field goal during playoffs, people are going to judge.  Difficult moments also challenge our workplace culture. Culture is tested when someone messes…

Optimizing Empathy: Being empathic doesn’t require giving someone advice to solve their problem.

I was sitting on my therapist’s couch, gazing through the partially opened blinds of his office’s floor to ceiling window, while he talked me through a simple gym couple scenario. “Have you ever seen that couple at the gym, where the guy is ridiculing his girlfriend about how her stomach isn’t flat enough or her butt is too small, and she works that much harder during their workout trying to…

True Life: Addicted to Novelty

“Hello, everyone. My name is Jim, and I’m a novelty addict.” [Everyone: “Hi, Jim.”] “It’s been 12 hours since I last ‘liked’ and ‘retweeted’ multiple articles on Twitter and LinkedIn without reading them or doing anything with the knowledge I gained. But it’s time I admit I need help in order to make a change and break this toxic cycle. These constant hits of novelty are only holding me back.”…

Using the Science of Empathy and Storytelling to Connect in the Workplace

I first learned how to investigate workplace misconduct when I worked for Target.  I remember after I completed my first investigation, I conducted the interview, got to the truth, they wrote a statement, management terminated them, and police made the arrest.  As they were leaving with police, the person turned to me and thanked me. I was confused.  I didn’t know what to say.  So I went with what my…