Empathy Basics
What is empathy?
The ability to recognize, understand, and share the feelings of another person.
What is cognitive empathy?
Understanding what another person is thinking or feeling without emotional involvement.
Define sympathy in one sentence.
Feeling concern for someone without necessarily understanding or sharing their feelings.
You see a friend crying—what’s a basic empathic action?
Sit with them, ask if they want to talk, or simply listen and be present.
How can empathy improve teamwork?
By fostering trust, open communication, and understanding among team members.
Name one benefit of empathy.
It builds stronger relationships, improves communication, or helps resolve conflict.
What is emotional empathy?
Sharing and feeling the emotions of another person.
What is the main difference between empathy and sympathy?
Empathy involves shared understanding or emotion; sympathy is more detached concern.
Your coworker looks frustrated—what might you say?
“You seem upset—do you want to talk about what’s going on?”
How does empathy reduce conflict at work?
It helps people understand each other’s perspectives and de-escalate tension.
What are the 3 stages of empathy?
Cognitive, Emotional, and Compassionate empathy.
What is compassionate empathy?
Feeling someone’s emotions and taking action to help.
Why is empathy deeper than sympathy?
Because it requires perspective-taking and emotional connection, not just concern.
Your sibling failed a test—what's a cognitive vs emotional response?
Cognitive: “I understand that you're disappointed.” Emotional: “I feel your frustration.”
Name one profession where empathy is especially important.
Healthcare, customer service, teaching, counseling, or leadership roles.
True or False: Empathy always requires emotional involvement.
False. Cognitive empathy does not require emotional involvement.
Give an example of compassionate empathy in action.
A coworker is upset about a mistake, and you offer to help fix it and support them.
True or False: Sympathy requires shared emotion.
False. Sympathy does not require shared emotion or perspective.
Someone yells at you—what’s a possible empathic explanation for their behavior?
They might be overwhelmed or stressed about something unrelated to you.
How might a manager use empathy to motivate a team member?
By understanding their challenges and offering support or encouragement.
Explain why empathy is important in emotional intelligence.
It helps people connect emotionally, build trust, and manage relationships effectively.
Compare all 3 types of empathy with one unique sentence
Cognitive empathy understands, emotional empathy feels, and compassionate empathy helps.
Describe a time when sympathy is not enough.
When someone is grieving and needs presence and understanding, not just "I'm sorry."
You disagree with someone’s opinion. How can empathy help?
It allows you to see things from their perspective and respond respectfully.
Why do companies value empathetic leaders?
They build stronger teams, retain talent, and lead with emotional intelligence.