“If forgiveness and its sometimes-appropriate aim of reconciliation are predicated on truth, and made possible by forbearance rather than revenge, then developing and expressing empathy for the offending person is the third element. Empathy is rooted in the realization that the one who hurt us remains human and needs our kindness. Empathy recognizes that at some point we may have done to someone else the very thing we are now trying to transcend.”
Donald Shriver
“You can view empathy as one of the hallmarks of emotional intelligence. It has a special role to play in just about every theory of emotional intelligence.”
Steven J. Stein
“There’s a lot of talk in this country about the federal deficit. But I think we should talk more about our empathy deficit-our ability to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes, to see the world through those that are different from us.”
Barak Obama
“Empathy is also valuable for all leaders. The most effective leaders are those who can discern the feelings of their followers. They have a special connection with those whom they lead, and they use this to touch them in a way that inspires commitment and dedication.”
Cary Cherniss and Mitchel Adler
“Empathy increases with kindness. Kindness is the engine of empathy; it motivates you to care, and it makes you more receptive to others, and them to you. The more kindness you offer to people, the better you can empathize with them.”
Chade Meng Tan
“We empathize when we can demonstrate that we understand what the person is feeling and needing.”
Marshall Rosenberg
“Empathy also is the competency most strongly linked to tolerance for diversity. People who score high in empathy respect and relate well to people from varied backgrounds, and they are more likely to understand diverse world views. Highly empathic individuals also are likely to see diversity as a strength.”
Cary Cherniss and Mitchel Adler
“If you’re empathic, you’re more likely to gain the cooperation of others because you show concern about their welfare. If you act in a self-serving of callous manner, people are more likely to avoid you.”
Steven J. Stein
“The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy.”
Meryl Streep
“Sympathy involves ‘feeling sorry’ for the other person or imaging how we would feel if we were experiencing what is happening to them. Empathy differs in that we try to imagine what it is like being that person and experiencing things as they do, not as we would.”
Theresa Wiseman
“Empathy does not necessarily mean agreeing. It is the mark of a developed mind to be able to understand and accept another’s feelings without agreeing to it.”
Chade Meng Tan
“In today’s psychology, the word ‘empathy’ is used in three distinct senses: Knowing another person’s feelings; feeling what that person feels; and responding compassionately to another’s distress. These three varieties of empathy seem to describe a 1-2-3 sequence: I notice you. I feel with you, and so I act to help you.”
Daniel Goleman
“Empathy is the art of stepping imaginatively in to the shoes of another person, understanding their feelings and perspectives and using that understanding to guide your actions.”
Roman Krznaric
“Empathy feels these thoughts: your hurt is in my heart, your loss is in my prayers, your sorrow is in my soul, and your tears are in my eyes.”
William Arthur Ward
“I do not ask the wounded person how he feels, I myself become the wounded person.”
Leaves of Grass, Walt Whitman