I just flew back from Tokyo, and I can’t fall asleep. I started thinking about empathy.

I don’t think I was very empathetic in my prior years. Being competitive left no room for it. It was hard to feel good for other people’s wins…because it made you feel deficient. It was only later in my career that I was able to understand that you truly only compete with yourself.  It doesn’t matter what happens to anyone else.

I read a great line….”Coaching and mentoring is empathy in action.”  I am happy to say I spend a lot more time coaching and mentoring people. A woman waited for me after a “Lessons Learned” session. She was in a tough situation and wanted some advice.  I spoke to her, and felt completely inadequate.

This is what I want her to know: that she is so awesomely brave to talk to me about coming in every day dreading what will happen, and that no matter what, she’s going to be ok. It reminded me that so many people want to do well at work, but that they struggle with difficult situations. They are looking for coaching…because they want to know you care.

Don’t let them down.