Empathy & Inter-personal relationship, are the foundation on which inter-personal skills are build upon.

1. WHO recommended Life Skills
Empathy & Interpersonal Relationship
22nd of July, 2015
Abhishek Ghosh M.Pharm, BSc Psychology
Abhishek.pharmacist@gmail.com

2. Exploring the background
WHO recommended Life skills
Life skills have been defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as
“abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable individuals to deal
effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life”.
Self awareness Empathy
Critical thinking Creative thinking
Decision making Problem solving
Effective communication Interpersonal relationship
Coping with stress Coping with emotions

3. Empathy
Empathy is Not sympathy, it is Not pity.
There is a lot of difference between sympathy & empathy.
Empathy is defined as “putting yourself in the other person’s shoes.”
But how can we do it if we haven’t removed our own shoes?
We cannot put ourselves in the other person’s shoes till we remove our own i.e. till we stop thinking
from our point of view. We have to try to understand what the other person is going through.
Empathizing is NOT “trying to feel what the other person is going through”.
Empathy is “understanding” what the other person is going through, without being judgmental,
without labeling or allowing your own values and attitudes to come in between.
WHAT is Empathy?

4. Empathy
• Empathy is a critical skill it contributes to an accurate understanding of
our social members (personal & professional), their perceptions and
concerns.
• Empathy enhances our communication skills because we can sense what
others want to know and if they are getting it from us or not.
• Empathy is sometimes confused with sympathy. Sympathy involves
actually being affected by the other person’s perceptions, opinions and
feelings. For example, if a person is frustrated & sad, the sympathizer
would experience the same emotions, resulting in struggling with the
same issues. Thus, sympathy can actually get in the way of effective
leading.
• Empathy is a key skill in effective leadership & in effective management
of personal & professional life.
WHY is Empathy important?

5. Empathy
• Experience the major differences among people.
• Learn to identify your own feelings – develop some emotional
intelligence.
• Regularly ask others for their perspectives and/or feelings regarding a
situation.
• Practice being non-judgmental
• Recognize that we all have been conditioned through years of
upbringing
• Recognize Morals, Values, Belief systems are subjective & dynamic.
HOW to develop Empathy skill?

6. Interpersonal Relationship
Interpersonal skills are the life skills we use every day to communicate and interact with other people,
both individually and in groups.
A List of Interpersonal Skills Includes:
Verbal Communication - What we say and how we say it.
Non-verbal Communication - What we communicate without words, e.g. body language
Listening Skills - How we interpret both the verbal & non-verbal messages sent by others.
Negotiation - Working with others to find a mutually agreeable outcome.
Problem Solving - Working with others to identify, define and solve problems.
Decision Making – Exploring and analyzing options to make sound decisions.
Assertiveness – Communicating our values, ideas, beliefs, opinions, needs and wants freely.
WHAT is Interpersonal relationship?

7. Interpersonal Relationship
List of Interpersonal Skills (continued):
Personal ethics - Being self-aware, practicing integrity in our relationships & reflecting on the impact of
our behaviors and decisions on others.
Team player – Our attitude & behavior, in a group setting
Conflict Resolution - Open mind in accepting diversity of opinion, perspectives & ideas. Avoiding black
& white thinking.
Responding helpfully – Communicating understanding of one’s feelings, helping others clarifying the
problem, helping others in generating solutions.
Self-awareness & managing emotions – Being aware of one’s state of mind, emotions, handling
criticism constructively.
WHAT is Interpersonal relationship?

8. Interpersonal Relationship
• People who have worked on developing strong interpersonal skills are usually more
successful in both their professional and personal lives.
• Employers often seek to hire staff with 'strong interpersonal skills' - they want people
who will work well in a team and be able to communicate effectively with colleagues,
customers and clients.
• It is how people express their confidence, ability to listen, understand, problem solve,
decision making & personal stress management
WHY is Interpersonal Skill important?

9. Interpersonal Relationship
• Learn to Listen
• Choose Your Words
• Pay attention towards our body language
• Understand Why Communication Fails
• Effectively managing our own emotions
• Clarify
• Be Positive
• Empathize
• Learn to be Assertive
Few tips on HOW to improve Interpersonal Skill

10. Interpersonal Relationship
• Expectation setting with our stakeholders
• Team & team goal comes first
• Cultural sensitivity & Global mindset
• Express gratitude
• Being respectful
• Give positive strokes
• Empower people
• Be genuine
• Be mindful of our ego
Few tips on HOW to improve Interpersonal Skill (continued)

11. Thank You