What is
Empathy?
Empathyis the ability to perceive and
relate to the thoughts, emotions, or
experiences of others.
Empathyin the context of the
workplace simply means that your
people can establish true, empathetic
connections with one another that
enhance relationships and
performance.
Look closer..
One way to recognize why people
behave as they do at work is to
view an organization as an iceberg.
What sinks ships isn’t always what
sailors can see, but what they can’t
see.
Why do I
need to
know
this?
Story Time 😊
Once upon a time, there was a
boy who entered the workplace
with a certain orientation to
work..
4 Temperaments
Sanguine people are generally extroverted, sociable, and
optimistic. They are energetic and enjoy being around other
people.
Choleric people are typically more assertive and decisive. They
tend to be leaders, and they enjoy taking charge and getting
things done.
Melancholic people are often introverted and thoughtful. They
are analytical and tend to be perfectionists.
Phlegmatic people are generally calm and easy-going. They are
patient and adaptable, and they tend to go with the flow.
Choleric: The go-getter, great at accomplishinggoals
Strengths: A born leader with energy, enthusiasm, and
a strong will; self-confident and optimistic.
Weaknesses:May struggle with being empathetic to
others’ needs and can tend toward being controlling
and overly critical of others.
Melancholic: The deep thinker with strong ideals and
passionatefeelings
Strengths: Naturally skilled atkeeping things organized
and humming along smoothly; a faithfulfriend who
connects deeply with people.
Weaknesses: May struggle with perfectionism or
negativity(of self and others); and can be easily
overwhelmed by life.
Sanguine: The “people person” and life of the party
Strengths: adventurous,creative, and just plainlikable;thrives
on social interactionsand sharing life with others.
Weaknesses: May struggle with follow-through and gets easily
over-committed;can lack self-control or tend to avoidthe
tougher parts of life and relationships.
Phlegmatic: The servant leader who is calm under pressure
Strengths: supportive,empathetic, and a great listener; often
the peacemaker looking out for others; easily contentedand
happy to be part of the team (not the boss).
Weaknesses: may struggle to take initiativewhen necessary
and can avoidconflict and sharing strong feelings.
How is this
Important?
The more self-awareness we have, the better!
Understanding our unique personalities helps
us thrive in the workplace, and in life.
It helps us understand why certain situations
feel extra hard when others seem to breeze
through them.
The four temperaments theory gives us one
helpful “clue” among many others for
understanding ourselves and others better.
How is this
Important?
Examples
Someone with a dominant phlegmatic
temperament will find it quite hard to work with
someone with a choleric dominant temperament.
Melancholic dominant temperaments are often too
hard to please at work since they demand
perfection and are highly analytical.
Melancholic dominant temperaments don’t usually
enjoy the company of high-octane energy
exhibiting Sanguines, their opposites in many ways.
Takeaway ☺
Empathytakes effort.
It takes understanding yourself and others around
you. It takes mindfulness, compassion, and
kindness.
Empathycan feel uncomfortable sometimes. And
that’s okay! It’s a journey for all of us.
Leverage temperaments, orientations to work, and
other traits to help you empathize better at work.