ALWAYS COMMUNICATE WITH EMPATHY

“To touch the soul of another human being is to walk on holy ground”

Human beings are precious. Their values, thoughts and independence are very important to them. When dealing with another person one has to know that one is walking on holy ground. These aspects of communication are not playthings or toys and should be approached and used with humility and the intention of doing well, by providing mutual opportunities for growth. One is not empathetic if one uses communication skills for winning over other people or bending others to one’s will or to show one’s superiority. It is only one-way communication. It creates a wide gap between the speaker and the listener. We should approach other people cautiously and we should not come closer to them than they will allow.

How to be empathetic involves firstly listening, listening not just to the words being spoken, but listening to what the reality is behind the words, what the other person’s understanding is of the reality, what the other person ascribes to what he or she perceives as the reality. It is listening without judgement, without any need to change the other person. It is listening with a completely unconditional positive regard. Only about 7% to 10% of the full meaning of communication is conveyed by the words spoken. The balance is found in the myriad of non-verbal psychological clues which the speaking person gives while speaking. Being sensitive to those clues is what empathy is all about in relationships.

Empathetic listening takes time, but it doesn’t take anywhere near as much time as it takes to back up and correct misunderstandings when you are miles down the road, to re-do, to live with unexpressed and unsolved problems. Empathy is a human quality which enhances the relationship and harmony among the people. Students should develop this quality during school life. Even the teachers must cultivate such qualities to make the teaching-learning process a successful one. To be empathetic to the students means to manifest some innate hidden skills in them. It is one of the major means to solve the problems of the children whose progress is hindered by the lack of proper guidance and communication. Thus, empathy is the complete fusion of kindness, sympathy and care. So let’s be empathetic to all and take one more step to humanity.