By Eleanor Shakiba COMMUNICATION • • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

How to empathise with angry customers

Stephen was a customer support officer in a large software company. Years of listening to customer complaints had taken their toll. He was losing patience with his customers.

After a heated conversation with a customer led to a complaint, Stephen’s supervisor enrolled him in my course Handling Difficult Customers. In the first half of the course, we discussed the importance of showing empathy when customers experience problems. Stephen asked “Why should I show empathy when the customer is swearing at me?”

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By Eleanor Shakiba COMMUNICATION • • • • • • • 0 Comments

How to show empathy during tough conversations

A little empathy makes a big difference to difficult conversations.

Empathy is the ability to recognise and acknowledge how someone else is feeling. You may not agree with those feelings. But you CAN recognise the other person’s point of view and show respect for it. Here’s how to show empathy in tough situations.

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By Eleanor Shakiba Dynamic leadership • • • • • • • 0 Comments

Leading with empathy

Want to increase ‘followership’ in your team? Let people know you empathise with their needs and concerns.

Empathy is the ability to spot, understand and acknowledge someone else’s feelings. When you empathise with someone, you tune into their reality. Doing this helps you connect and build rapport – so people will listen to you.

Try these steps for showing empathy – even in response to irrational behaviour.

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