Compassion: an Objective Form of Empathy
Compasión: una forma Objetiva de Empatía
por Jeff Weiner 05/Oct/15
Como el Dalai Lama explica, si vas caminando por una senda y te encuentras con una persona que está siendo machacada por una roca, aparecerá una reacción empática en la que sentirás la misma sensación de sofoco por aplastamiento que ella y te volverás incapaz de ayudar. La reacción de compasión te pondría en el lugar del sufridor, pensando que esta persona tiene que estar experimentando un dolor horrible de modo que harás todo lo que puedas para quitarle la piedra y aliviar su sufrimiento. Puesto de otra manera, la compasión es una forma más objetiva de empatía. Esta idea de ver cosas claramente a través de la perspectiva de otra persona puede ser inestimable cuando se trata de relacionarse con otros, particularmente en situaciones tensas de trabajo.
Por ejemplo, cuando disentimos ampliamente con otro, la mayoría de nosotros tendemos a ver las cosas solamente a través de nuestro punto de vista. En esas situaciones, algunos inmediatamente asumirán que la otra persona es ignorante y/o tiene intenciones perversas. Tu mente rápidamente se vuelve al pensamiento, “¿Cómo pueden no estar de acuerdo conmigo?”
En esas circunstancias, puede ser constructivo tomar un minuto para entender porqué la otra persona ha llegado a la conclusión que ha llegado. Por ejemplo, ¿Qué parte de su historia le ha llevado a tomar esa posición? ¿Tienen la experiencia apropiada para tomar decisiones óptimas? ¿Tienen miedo de alguna consecuencia particular que puede no ser obvia a primera vista? Haciéndote estas preguntas y, más importante, haciéndole estas preguntas a la otra persona, puedes encajar lo que de otra forma sería una situación desafiante y transformarla en un momento de aprendizaje y una experiencia de verdadera colaboración.
Sobre el autor: Jeff Weiner es el Presidente Ejecutivo de “LinkedIn” Esto es un extracto de su artículo sobre “ Gestión Compasiva”
Jeff Weiner is the CEO of Linked In. This is an excerpt from his article on 'Compassionate Management'.
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How do you relate to the notion of compassion being an objective form of empathy? Can you share a personal story of a time you were able to transform a challenging situation into a coachable moment? What practice helps you to get out of your world view and see other perspectives?
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8 Past Reflections
On Sep 29, 2015 Barbarah wrote :
Compassion and Empathy are relatives for sure, yet for me compassion is not objectified empathy.
I see their relationship this very simplified way: ( I can offer more depth to those who want it)
antipathy: I don't like, I don't want, I feel for me
sympathy: I like, I want, I feel for you
compassion: I care, I have concern, my heart opens, I am compelled to action
empathy: you enter me, I enter you, I am authentically present, I embody right action, my mind is the servant of my thinking heart
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On Sep 29, 2015 Sidney DeKoven wrote :
Yes empathy is like "I feel your suffering inside of me too", but maybe with a period after it. Whereas compassion is also "and I am available to relieve your suffering as best I can."I see the suffering of all beings laboring under the illusion of "I' or beset by the endless thought stream for I see that in myself. When I am able to, I try to guide that person to see more light. That "I" is really an illusion and that thoughts cannot disturb one if one does not give them the power to.
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On Sep 29, 2015 Kristin Pedemonti wrote :
Yes! Compassion for everyone, every day. Always in each encounter we have the opportunity to put ourselves in the other person's position to better understand where they are coming from, what do they bring into the conversation given their past experience, what blocks might they have or what might they have to teach us if we open our own hearts and minds more fully. This happens regularly in my life because of seeking to understand and seeking to learn more. Very very rarely does anyone come into an encounter with a negative intention; most often they and we come in with a view shaped by a lifetime of experiences. Here's to compassion!
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On Sep 29, 2015 Pluto178 wrote :
The poet John Keates trained to be a Doctor and had such high levels of empathy that he could feel the patients pain during surgery and was unable to continue in this career. A lot of loss during his young life may have created his empathic nature. Compassion is a good thing but if you let it consume you it can get out of hand and your own functions can be affected and render you unable to cope. Once a person has experienced physical pain it should be a natural function for them to understand the pain of another person..........those who are lucky enough not to have experienced it can only imagine what another person is going through and can offer support.... but a deeper compassion and empathy comes from knowing. x
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On Sep 28, 2015 Nikhil wrote :
The way I understand it is:
Objective compassion is to share the pain, but not the suffering.
For pain is inevitable but suffering is optional. By not suffering ourselves, we open up the way for the other person to also treat their pain objectively.
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On Sep 27, 2015 david doane wrote :
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On Sep 27, 2015 Jagdish P Dave wrote :
Subjective empathy is feeling the pain and suffering of another person. Objective empathy implies not only feeling the pain and suffering of another person but also understanding our own perspective on his suffering as well as remaining open to understand the other person's perspective. We need to have both head and heart to feel for the other person and have an empathic understanding of the person in relationship. I will add hand to head and heart. The hand stands for action.Compassion implies empathy and acts of kindness.
Practicing loving kindness has been very helpful to me in my everyday living.
Namaste.
Jagdish P Dave
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On Sep 25, 2015 Bharat Chauhan wrote :
It is not a personal story but has been a short and sweet life changing message from my guru, Dr. Stephan R. Covey.
https://youtu.be/W9TvNVqj32M
Peace,
Bharat