Leading with Empathy
Course Description
There is a recent groundswell of interest in empathy; CEOs, best-selling authors, and international leaders have identified empathy as one of the most important leadership skills of the 21st century. Generally understood as “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another,” empathy will play an increasingly important role in our interdependent and hyper-connected world. Whether your challenge is to build a collaborative team, become a skilled professional, or advocate effectively for social justice, empathy is a vital leadership capacity.
Decades of scientific research and leadership practice have reinforced one clear message: empathy is much more than being “nice.” As such, this unique course invites you to study the scientific basis of empathy and explore creative ways to apply your knowledge and skills in the real world. To start with, students will examine cases studies of recent world events to develop an appreciation for empathy as a critical component of effective leadership. Then, the course will delve into cutting-edge research from social psychology and cognitive neuroscience, where you will examine scientific research on the role empathy plays in our day-to-day interactions, explore psychological mechanisms behind understanding others’ minds and “catching” others’ emotions, acquire tools to measure empathy in individuals and research projects, and form well-informed opinions on how empathy connects to prosocial behaviors, morality, and world justice. Incorporating techniques from acting and improvisation, students will “step into other's shoes and walk a few inches,” cultivating their interpersonal sensitivity. The course will culminate with the development of an Action Plan that will promote empathy, compassion, and social harmony in students’ local communities, providing you with ample opportunity to further develop your empathy “muscle.”
The only prerequisite for this course is a commitment to supporting an open-minded, responsive, and collaborative learning environment. This course is ideal for students who have interest in psychology, cognitive science, and/or any career that requires intercultural competence, people skills, and ethical leadership.
There is a recent groundswell of interest in empathy; CEOs, best-selling authors, and international leaders have identified empathy as one of the most important leadership skills of the 21st century. Generally understood as “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another,” empathy will play an increasingly important role in our interdependent and hyper-connected world. Whether your challenge is to build a collaborative team, become a skilled professional, or advocate effectively for social justice, empathy is a vital leadership capacity.
Decades of scientific research and leadership practice have reinforced one clear message: empathy is much more than being “nice.” As such, this unique course invites you to study the scientific basis of empathy and explore creative ways to apply your knowledge and skills in the real world. To start with, students will examine cases studies of recent world events to develop an appreciation for empathy as a critical component of effective leadership. Then, the course will delve into cutting-edge research from social psychology and cognitive neuroscience, where you will examine scientific research on the role empathy plays in our day-to-day interactions, explore psychological mechanisms behind understanding others’ minds and “catching” others’ emotions, acquire tools to measure empathy in individuals and research projects, and form well-informed opinions on how empathy connects to prosocial behaviors, morality, and world justice. Incorporating techniques from acting and improvisation, students will “step into other's shoes and walk a few inches,” cultivating their interpersonal sensitivity. The course will culminate with the development of an Action Plan that will promote empathy, compassion, and social harmony in students’ local communities, providing you with ample opportunity to further develop your empathy “muscle.”
The only prerequisite for this course is a commitment to supporting an open-minded, responsive, and collaborative learning environment. This course is ideal for students who have interest in psychology, cognitive science, and/or any career that requires intercultural competence, people skills, and ethical leadership.
Course Syllabus (2017 version)My course consists of three components: lectures, workshops, and the Action Plan capstone project.
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A list of classroom games (2015 version)Eighteen games used in this course, with focuses on human connection, interpersonal coordination, and empathy.
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Student feedback
One of the most rewarding moments of teaching "Leading with Empathy" was reading all the hand-written thank-you letters and cards from my students as the course came to an end. Reading these heart-warming words and hearing that I have opened new doors for their young lives gave me a feeling of achievement that nothing can compare to.
"I loved every moment and am going to miss your welcoming smile every day. I thought you did such an amazing job teaching this class and your passion for psychology has really inspired me to want to pursue social psychology. You never failed to show us / teach us new and interesting material, and you were always so prepared for the class lessons! I can't wait to go back home and share with my friends, family and teachers all that I have learned! :) I will, without a doubt, recommend this course to anyone I honestly had such an amazing time at Brown. I found that the people were friendly, the course material was new and stimulating, and you were so kind, welcoming, and caring. I will take away so much of this material and I can't wait to try to apply the methods of leadership and empathy that I have been fortunate enough to be able to learn. "
"You constructed a course that brought together many complicated ideas into one cohesive course that evaluates empathy. You made class everyday special with the interactive games and your willingness to have a discussion with students! Every day I was excited to go to class because each day expresses a new aspect of psychology and empathy I didn't even know was there. After this course I might even go to the psychology field! I really appreciate that you opened my eyes to interesting and new topics of study I didn't even know existed... Thank you for one of the best two weeks of my life! In this case, I didn't even mind going to school!"
"I have learnt so much from you and I truly appreciate how dedicated you are to us and our topic of study. You have helped me to identify a new level of interest and passion for psychology and the study of empathy. I am so excited to continue exploring all that I have learnt at Brown, in the future. "
"Thank you for being a great teacher! You have taught me many life lessons that I will continue to use in life everyday. Taking your class really opened my eyes into the field of psychology, Until now, I never considered taking any psychology class in college. I want to become a computer scientist, and then major in marketing. That field, to me, would never consist of psychology -- I thought it would all be math and science classes. But now, after taking your class, I now understand the importance of psychology and perspective taking in a field that I never thought would consist of classes like this."
"I just wanted to let you know that you did an amazing job teaching. You are so patient, kind, sweet, and empathetic; it made sense to learn about empathy and leading with it from you.Thanks for really engaging us, getting us interested, and creating an awesome community. The class was so fun and I will never forget the friends I made and lessons I learned from them."
"Your kindness is contagious, and I admire your knowledge of cognitive science and psychology. You have inspired me to continue my interest in studying in these fields. Each day in the classroom, I felt I was always engaged by your words, always learning how to use science to understand empathy, and how to use empathy to understand people. Now I see that though I can only view the world through my own eyes, I can use the skills I have learned to make the "imaginative leap" to be a more effective leader in our world. I hope I will never forget these lessons, these people, and these two incredible weeks."
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