Leading With Empathy
The reason we place such an emphasis on leading with empathy in our interactions with all our probate clients is because empathy Is built from a combination of positive emotions, characteristics, and intent. It follows then, that consciously focusing on infusing empathy into every action we take, creates an atmosphere of understanding and mutual respect, that is more conducive to clear communication between our partners and our clients. Also, I know that we’re working with PR’s and heirs of the estate that are having difficulty dealing with a recent loss. So, the most important part of our job is to give you all the room you need, and the time you want, to process whatever thoughts and feelings keep popping up for you regarding the relationship you had with the deceased. My experience is that clients often underestimate the cause of why they feel like they’re riding an internal roller coaster, which means we have to be that much more patient.
Empathy is a concept that has been bandied about extensively in the fields of psychology and philosophy over the past few centuries, yet nobody has been able to nail down a somewhat concise definition. So, when I say that Empathy is the Mother and Father of all positive human emotions, what I mean is that Empathy is informed by, and composed of, many positive emotions such as compassion, understanding, patience, generosity, gratitude, and a sincere desire to be helpful toward another human being.
According to my own take on it then, I suppose I wouldn’t be inaccurate to call Empathy the son and daughter of all positive human emotions as well!
People exhibit empathy through our unique human ability to understand and share the feelings of others, without making someone else’e pain our own. Therefore, true empathy requires that we retain an emotional buffer zone, of sorts, so that we can lend our strength to our brother or sister, while retaining it for ourselves.
Empathy involves recognizing the emotions and thoughts of others and being able to put ourselves in their shoes, to the greatest extent possible, while holding fast to our autonomy, because our friends need that, too! I’m talking about a fundamental human trait that enables us to connect with one another, build relationships, and create a sense of community.
The Importance of Empathy in Relationships:
Empathy is critical in building relationships because it helps us understand and relate to others, which then allows us to understand and relate to ourselves as well. When we empathize with others, we engage a sometimes surprisingly intimate, pre-existing sense of connection, deep mutual understanding, which fosters better communication and reduces potential conflict.
Empathy allows us to be more compassionate and caring, which strengthens relationships and builds lasting mutual trust. By being able to identify with the emotions and experiences of others, we can offer support, comfort, sympathy, and encouragement. By doing so, we always feel better about ourselves.
This enigmatic human emotion is also quite useful in conflict resolution. When two people have a disagreement, empathy can help them to see each other’s perspectives and find common ground. By acknowledging each other’s feelings and experiences, they can work towards a solution that is mutually beneficial.
So, no matter how difficult it is to encapsulate the concept of empathy in words, it remains a cornerstone of human interactive thinking, feeling, and behavior.
All you need to do is make one phone call to George Wallace (603-401-6263) and you will find that every participating member of the Estate Settlement Partners Team, are expected to lead with Empathy, Love, Compassion, Understanding, and Patience, when working with every single one of our clients. You can then sit back and relax while we take the burden and stress of preparing the Estate Property for sale. We will then sell the property for the greatest amount possible so all of the heirs can once again be touched by the person that has left this life.