Empathy Walk (from Theory U) is a way to sense the system through another person’s eyes — not to agree, fix, or feel, but to see what you usually miss.
The purpose is simple: to understand another person’s world.
Not to agree with it.
Not to fix it.
Not even to feel for it.
Just to notice what you normally overlook.
Empathy Walks give you access to living data you would otherwise miss — the kind that doesn’t show up in reports or meetings.
How to do it
- Choose intentionally. Don’t walk with everyone. Pick people different from you: in role, mindset, or background.
- Suspend judgment temporarily. You will have opinions. Park them. Just listen. Take notes. Later, bring judgment back consciously — this time with awareness.
- Ask, don’t assume. Use open-ended questions:
- “What made you feel that way?”
- “What would make this situation better for you?”
- “What’s important to you about that?”
- Post-walk reflection.
- What new data did I receive?
- What bias did I suspend?
- What choice does this new understanding enable?
Core idea
Empathy ≠ agreement. It’s awareness-based data collection.
Leadership starts when you can see the world as it is for them, without losing clarity on what’s right for the organization.
What you hear depends on the quality of your attention.
Empathy Walk trains that attention.
SCENARIO 1: THE APPRAISAL CONVERSATION
Context: An employee earning ₹30K asks for a ₹30K hike.
How to use EW:
- Suspend judgment (“That’s absurd”).
- Ask, “What makes you feel this hike is fair?”
- Listen to life context — commitments, aspirations, self-perception.
- Bring back your judgment after listening.
- Reframe with agreement-based clarity:
“I understand your need. For that, the organization expects A, B, C…”
Outcome:
Better data, clear articulation, no emotional conflict. You’re moving from downloading to seeing.
Empathy informed your decision, not replaced it.
SCENARIO 2: THE UNDERPERFORMING COLLEAGUE
Context: A senior developer is missing deadlines.
How to use EW:
- Instead of confronting, walk with curiosity:
“I notice timelines are slipping — what’s making it hard right now?”
- Discover unseen blockers: health issues, unclear priorities, and outdated tools.
- Post-walk, you now have inputs for real solutions.
Outcome:
You sensed the field. You fix system gaps, not people. The person feels respected, not cornered.
SCENARIO 3: THE SILOED MANAGER
Context: A department head avoids cross-team work.
How to use EW
- Ask, “How do you see other departments’ role in your success?”
- Listen for fears — control loss, recognition anxiety, resource fights.
- Recognize that silence ≠ resistance, often it’s insecurity.
Outcome:
You began to crystallize the shared intent. You can design structural incentives or conversations to dissolve silos.
Without EW, you’d have treated it as an attitude.
Summary
Empathy Walk implies:
- Seeing through others’ eyes, not for them.
- Suspending bias to get richer data.
- Using that data to create win-win outcomes.
- Leading with awareness, not agreement.
Empathy isn’t soft. It’s a diagnostic sense … awareness before action.
#DhandheKaFunda: Empathy is a diagnostic tool, not an emotional one. It helps leaders see clearly before making a decision.
