“But it’s not my job!”

Going first when it doesn’t seem fair

“Why should I reach out first? It wasn’t my fault.”

“Why should I care? It’s not my job.”

We can easily shrug off an opportunity to empathize because it’s not our ‘job’ or doesn’t seem fair. We can find (legitimate) excuses and someone to blame. No one may notice or fault us for our lack of empathy. We can wait until someone else addresses the issue and feel justified in our choice.

But what if we dared to go first? To empathize when it’s hard and inconvenient? To lead when we don’t have the title or job description? To generously reach out regardless who’s at fault?

What if empathy became part of our job? Not to fix everyone or feel all their pain, but to understand their point of view? To start the conversation we’ve been avoiding?

It’s hard work. It will likely take emotional and mental energy. It might be uncomfortable.

We have the opportunity to lead with empathy — from anywhere. If we choose, we can be gutsy and go first.