Empathy: The 21st Century Skill

Educator Alan November has been asking the question, "What skill do our students need to succeed in the global workplace?" From CEOs to Anthropologists, surprisingly the answer is the same.  Empathy.  Americans in general aren't so good at it.  Being empathetic is a sign of emotional intelligence which leads to understanding, motivation and managing one's own emotions and having an appreciation for the emotions of others.  Our schools need to develop a sense of urgency in teaching our American students how to be empathetic.  They must be able to hold two different points of view at one time.  They must be able to communicate with and be accepting of others around the globe.  As educators we can help students practice empathy when we help them develop a network of people that they can tap into as a resource once they graduate and enter the "real world".