Week Nine - by Cai Diggs

Field tomato plants  at Upper Marlboro Research Farm.

After learning the importance of having empathy in the workplace, I will make sure to prioritize my ability to empathize with the people I surround myself with. Personally, I believe that I have a lot of empathy for people who are going through challenging situations. I think it is necessary to show people the same respect that you would have wanted to be shown to yourself. When seeing other people struggle, I often imagine myself in that situation and how I would want other people to engage with me. Now, even more than ever, I will consciously observe how much empathy I am showing people and try to tap into this skill more often.

I believe empathy is a very important skill to have when moving forward in your career because you will encounter many different people in many different situations. Being able to empathize with the people you work with can create an uplifting workspace and increase the productivity of others as well as yourself. Also, I believe empathy is something that you should show to people regardless because everyone is deserving of empathy. It is kind to be empathetic, and this makes people more receptive to what you have to say because they find you to be receptive and caring. People will see this and support you through their career, not just because they find you to be a great worker, but a great person as well.

Empathy has motivated me many times in the past. There were times when people showed me empathy and I had a boost of drive, creativity, and confidence. One time, balancing school and extracurriculars got very overwhelming and I found myself struggling to make a few due dates. I emailed one of my professors and explained the situation to her. I was afraid that I would not be met with empathy and my grades would suffer from the consequences of being overwhelmed. Instead, I was met with empathy and got an extension on my assignment which I was really appreciative of. This motivated me to complete the assignment to the best of my ability.

Bringing mindfulness to this skill will surely support my career moving forward. Like I said, I will be more empathetic to others in the workplace and create a positive environment for everyone. Empathy wins!

Heirloom Tomato Plants (earlier in their life) at Upper Marlboro Research Farm.