Be Empathetic

This week I've been attending one of the New Teacher Center's core trainings, the Induction Institute, where I was introduced to a definition of empathy that I found rather insightful. Tis as follows:

"The way of being with another person which is termed empathetic... means temporarily living in their life, moving about it delicately, without making judgments... To be with another in this way means that for the time being you lay aside the views and values you hold for yourself in order to enter the other's world without prejudice... a complex, demanding, strong yet subtle and gentle way of being." -Carl Rogers

From this quote I understand that refraining from making judgments seems to be at the core of being truly empathetic. It certainly makes for more effective mentoring, and more effective relationships more generally. Go on, try it on, be empathetic. ;)