Empathy expert Rob Volpe offers tips for navigating uncomfortable conversations

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif, June 2, 2022 /CNW/ - The future of the groundbreaking 1973 Roe v. Wade decision is uncertain. Reproductive rights are under fire. A climate of fear, anger, and discord is brewing across all 50 states in both homes and the workplace as a result of this divisive pending decision. And that's on top of frequent mass shootings, anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, war, inflation, political polarization, and lingering pandemic concerns.

These issues are coming into your workplace and weighing on the minds of your employees. If left unaddressed and unpacked, any one of them could lead to a drain on productivity and employee morale.

So, how do you talk about Roe v. Wade or any of these other sensitive topics?particularly if you're unsure where the other person stands on the issue?

"It's critical, now more than ever, to take an empathetic approach to your conversations with colleagues, employees and direct reports. Allow them to be seen and heard and you will help them be more productive, feel more inclusive, and increase their loyalty to your organization," says ethnographic researcher and empathy expert Rob Volpe.

As a thought leader in the role of empathy in the workplace, Rob frequently speaks on the topic at conferences, corporations, college classes and podcasts. He has been quoted in Advertising Week, Mashable, Huffington Post, TheStreet.com, Gourmet Retailer, the Chicago Tribune and WTHR-TV's 5:30pm newscast, among others. He is also a contributor for Entrepreneur's Leadership Network, writing about empathy in the workplace, and the author of the book Tell Me More About That: Solving the Empathy Crisis One Conversation at a Time (Page Two, February 2022).

Here are a few sample talking points:

• More workplaces are opening their doors to employees once more, which means more watercooler conversations (and possible disagreements). How can you navigate uncomfortable discussions with coworkers whose opinions you may disagree with?
• How to build opportunities for empathetic connection into your regular workday.
• How to hold your ground in a conversation while still making space for other opinions.
• Where and how to protect your own mental health given that employees today are looking for empathetic leadership.
• 5 linguistic techniques anyone can use to foster empathy in a difficult conversation.

Rob is available to share his expertise on this issue in the form of a comment, interview, or op-ed. If you're interested in connecting with him, please contact [email protected].

SOURCE Page Two Books