Talking About Race at Work: Empathy

Recently, we gave you four tips on “How to Begin the Conversation on Race.” As we said in that blog post, and as we will continue to say again and again, you must commit to the ongoing conversation in order to incite long-lasting change. Once you feel confident about starting and guiding these conversations, it is time to sharpen the tools in your toolkit. 

Your first, and arguably most important, tool is: Empathy. 

Talking about race and systematic racism must begin with empathy. Creating empathy starts with you and the influences that have shaped you. Once you have done the work to understand yourself, you can begin to do the work to understand others. 

The key to showing empathy is authenticity and remember these 5 strategies: 

1. Acknowledge and validate other’s emotions and experiences.

2. In the moment, actively listen and show interest by following up later.

3. Don’t center your own emotions but it's okay to be honest if you don’t have the right words or response. 

4. Be supportive and thank people for sharing their emotional stories and experiences. 

5. Continue to show up and encourage honest, authentic conversations. 

TOOLKIT MATERIALS:

Read:

• "Why empathy is the key to dismantling white racism” by Susan Lanzoni, Ph.D historian of science and medicine and the author of the, "Empathy: A History."

• “Making Empathy Central to Your Company Culture” by Jamil Zaki

Listen:

• Minority Money: Changing the Complexion of Wealth with Emlen Miles-Mattingly “We Need to Talk Series":

We Need to Talk... about Racism, George Floyd and being Black in America 

We Need to Talk… about Allyship, Empathy, and Racial Justice

• Still Processing with Wesley Morris and Jenna Wortham

So Y’all Finally Get it

• Code Switch NPR

Why Now, White People

Dive Deeper: 

• Email us at info@colorfulconnections,com to book an Empathy Building workshop and check out our other virtual workshop offerings that help you create a stronger work culture and team.