Listen before you solve
When a colleague raises a concern, first check what kind of help they want. They may need a decision, practical support or simply a chance to explain what happened. Ask before moving into advice.
Summarise the concern in your own words and invite correction: “It sounds as though the changing deadlines are making it difficult to plan. Have I understood?” Then ask what would help most. You can show empathy without agreeing to every request or accepting an interpretation as fact.
A workplace example
A colleague describes a frustrating handover. You have ideas for a solution, but first check whether they want help fixing the process or need you to understand the effect on their work.
Try this in practice
- Ask what kind of support would help.
- Summarise the concern in your own words.
- Agree a practical response together.
When do you tend to offer advice before understanding the request?
More on empathy
Keep reading
Do not assume that a familiar phrase, silence or a polite agreement carries the same meaning for everyone.
EmpathyInclude quieter voices in meetingsSend the topic and decision needed in advance.
EmpathyWork with different communication stylesPeople may differ in how quickly they process information, how much detail they need and whether they prefer to think aloud.
