MEPX
Chapter 4 of 10All chapters

Chapter 4 of 10

Reading other people

Carefully and with humility.

Signals

Tone, pace, posture and word choice carry information. They are indicators and not proof, and interpretations should be checked rather than assumed.

  • Facial expressions are less universal than once claimed.
  • Asking is more reliable than inferring, and takes less time.

Empathy in practice

Understanding someone's position, saying it back, and acting on it. Empathy that never changes behaviour is a feeling rather than a skill.