Empathy
The ability to stand in the shoes, eyes, feelings, thoughts…of another.
Requires the will and interest to do so.
Genuine service, be that customer service or acts of service, is built on a foundation of empathy.
Today, as a customer, I was at the effects of service lacking empathy. Platitudes given because the company has a feedback mechanism that rates each customer service agent, yet being obsequious rather than genuine is not customer service; it is a form of patronisation.
To be genuine in our wanting to understand fully, rather than just saying we understand, to listen to the person with exquisite care, and then respond from empathy, is an extraordinary skill.
A skill that society longs for yet is often deeply undervalued in how we remunerate those who have spent years mastering this skill in service to others.
Photo taken January 29th 2021