Gear_Up.md

Gearup

What role does empathy play in your life and how has it helped you?

I have been the benifactor of empathy on a few occasions and I can say that the feeling that someone else understands

your issue is so refreshing it will lift a weight from your shoulders, it makes the world less large and reinforces

a belief in humanity. Empathy has helped me fall for a women that comes from a socio-economic background that I

havent lived, it has allowed me to step outsided of my comfort zone and befriend people I thought were polar opposites

of me. I firmly believe empathy is a hallmark of any good leader, and is a necessary attribute required of anyone that

claims to be a decent person.

How does empathy help you build better software?

Empathy is required to build better software, if you lack the ability to understand your users background weither it be

education, economic, or just the possible reason they are interacting with your site then your product will lack any

personal feel. That being said on an intrapersonal level you and your peers need to be able to communicate on a level

that is understanding and respectful and without knowing who you are and your peer is this is not possible.

Why is empathy important for working on a team?

Empathy is the ability to understand another persons thoughts and feelings, and without that skill how can you expect

to be a productive member of a team. If you cant understand that Steve is having a bad day or that Jessica's family

is going through trying times you wont be able to create an avenue of honest conversation. That being said if you

show that you can empathize ideas and concepts will flow more freely between you and your peers.

Describe a situation in which your ability to empathize with a colleague or teammate was helpful.

I had a coworker once whose personal life was put on display through public means. He was a young cook I met when I

was also a young cook. He was shy and quiet and was the butt of a lot of jokes, he took it in stride but I could tell

it bothered him. I became close friends with him and one day at work he walked in to a picture hung in a public place

that ousted his sexuality, he immediatly burst into tears, and to my surprise nobody moved a muscle as he turned and

ran out the door. I was the only one that followed and I listened to him I let him cry and work through his emotions.

He to this day is one of my good friends, and he moved on eventually to pursue his dreams, but after he realized he had

a friend in the building, his attitude completly changed he started standing up for himself and began to "fit in." I

learned that day that sometimes all someone needs is to be heard and understood. He is still an insperation to me, and

partially responsible for me joining Turing.

When do you find it most difficult to be empathetic in professional settings? How can you improve your skills when faced with these scenarios?

I find it difficult to empathize when deadlines are moving closer, in crunch time it is difficult to remove myself from

the task at hand and allow a emotional state to shine through. This is something I am aware of and work with my

therapist weekly to counteract it. The process I go through is first recognize that a emotional response is needed,

taking a deep breath I file my anxiety about deadlines away, and make myself realize that a humans emotions are more

important than my proffesional requirements in this moment. The finish line isnt worth it unless we all get there

intact emotionally and physically.