Empathy

After physical survival, our greatest human need is psychological survival or the need to be understood, affirmed, validated, and appreciated. When you listen with empathy to another person, you give that person psychological air.

Empathy is not sympathy. A sympathy is a form of agreement. Empathy is not agreeing with someone; it is fully, deeply understanding that person, emotionally as well as intellectually.

When you show deep empathy toward others, their defensive energy goes down, and positive energy replaces it. That's when you can get more creative in solving problems.

- Dr. Stephen Covey