Why this matters
With life going at a very fast pace, it is often hard to stop and think of others in a deep and meaningful way. With Emotional Intelligence comprised of our ability to recognise our own emotions and those of others, we have to cultivate the ability to both comprehend and relate to those around us and validate their feelings by our understanding.
When we start being empathy deficient in a team we find it difficult to be open and our flexibility suffers as well, as we can’t allow for other points of view and experiences.
If we managed to raise the level of empathy we employ in our relationships with our teammates, the overall Psychological Safety of the team would be improved.
How to run it
- 1
Facilitator to pin a “What is EQ?” - “The capability of individuals to recognize their own emotions and those of others“ and a “What is empathy? - The ability to understand and share the feelings of another” post-it on the Miro board
- 2
Facilitator to ask everyone to complete a choice of 2 of the following sentences in their mind (post them on the Miro board or the chat) and explain there will be no requirement to read them out loud.
- “The person I feel most empathy towards is …”
- “I feel like my feelings are being “heard” when …”
- “A time when I spoke from the heart and I felt I was truly listened to was …”
- “It’s hard to relate to others because …”
- “It’s easy to relate to others who …”
- “I feel just the same as …”
- “The person in our team I feel “gets me” the most is …”
- 3
Everyone to take 30 seconds to remember their happiest early childhood memory - their favourite activity, or trip, etc. - then 10-15 seconds each to takes turns communicating what it was in one concise sentence
- 4
Everyone takes turns answering the question “My one big fear is …”
- 5
Everyone to choose another team member to have one 1-on-1 with where they don’t talk about work at all in the next month
What next
Do the extended version of the play when the data warrants it next