The Power Of Powerless Listening

For a few years, I’ve shared my story about the day I discovered the key to showing empathy to others. I shared it last week at a wealth management conference in San Diego and it resonated with the group — many clients were going through financial and emotional pain due to the recession. Relationship advice on what to do hit the spot. 

The idea is simple: When someone is experiencing strong emotions, don’t try to fix them. Instead, make yourself emotionally available to try and ‘feel’ the feelings of others. It is not easy. My guiding rule in relationship management is the following three words: FEELINGS ARE FACTS. They are not opinions or whims offered up for our judgement or counsel. When you respect or taste other people’s feelings, you deliver them a strong sense of validation — that their feelings are legitimate and important. 

A video of that story (The Coco Story) is up on YouTube.
Check it out!