Drive. Grit. Resilience. Ambition.
Each of these plays a part in creating your success. At the same time, they’re all inward looking. That is, they’re all attributes you can cultivate to build up yourself.
What if looking outward is the secret to success? It could be that – even with grit, drive, ambition, and resilience – you’ll only truly create success by connecting with the team around you. You’ll want to work well with everyone who shares your goals and who is part of your success pathway.
Having empathy might be the #1 way to better connect with your teams, colleagues, partners, customers, co-creators, and everyone else you come across on a daily basis.
The argument for empathy has gotten a lot of attention recently. Here are three resources that discuss the importance of empathy in building success. They’re all interesting reads worth looking at:
Crafting Better Strategy – Why Empathy Matters: This post in the Knowledge@Wharton blog discusses the balance between IQ (Intelligence Quotient) and EQ (Emotional Quotient).
The Importance of Empathy in Leadership: This piece at Forbes.com by Forbes Council member Lucas Pols covers the importance for leaders to have empathy in order to eliminate barriers and support everyone around you.
Why Empathy Is the Most Important Skill You’ll Ever Need to Succeed: Here’s an article by Yoram Solomon at Inc. Magazine that gives you 10 reasons empathy is the most important skill you’ll need to succeed.