Empathy is so important to social interactions that it is considered one of the five pieces of emotional intelligence, which are the unofficial guidelines for how to talk to others successfully. This is not meant to scare you. The fact that you are reading this book shows that you already have the building blocks for empathy. When someone tells you, they're going through a difficult time, and it hurts your feelings to hear that, it means the capacity for empathy is within you.

Being liked by others has gone beyond just being a luxury in the modern world. It is necessary if you are going to make it in your career. The connections you have and what potential employers think of your personality plays an integral role in being promoted and considered for leadership positions. There are a number of world leaders who did not make remarkable grades in school, but instead got ahead based on the fact that others feel like they can relate to them- "the guy you could have a drink with."

This might sound confusing, but you don't need to worry. As you go through this book, you will learn all of the things that come into play when you are trying to perfect your empathy skills, including:

• ✅ Communicating with others
• ✅ What listening really is, not just hearing the words they are saying
• ✅ How to effectively speak to people of different demographics
• ✅ How to give an oral presentation that keeps people interested
• ✅ Cutting out unnecessary information when you speak
• ✅ How to read nonverbal cues from others
• ✅ Building a connection with other people
• ✅ How to put your best foot forward in a different social situation
• ✅ How to upkeep your mental health so you can be successful in interactions with others.
• ✅ Communication when face-to-face isn't possible- social media, texting, etc.
• ✅ How to be persuasive without being manipulative
• ✅ How to know what is appropriate to say before you say it
• ✅ Responding to criticism
• ✅ How to make up for it when you have made a mistake
• ✅ And much more!

You do not need to feel overwhelmed by all of this. You are already on the right track because the desire to learn and master empathy is within you.