“Gabriel & Monica” A Short Case Study On Relating To Others:

After a long day of testing at school, 16-year-old Gabriel rushed home, changed clothes, and hurried out the door to get to work on time. 

She realized too late that she had forgotten to drop off the house key to her brother at football practice. 

A scolding text message from her mom, who would now have to leave early to let her brother into the house, compounded Gabriel's stress. 

Monica, a 21-year-old college student, was the manager on duty.

When the company had offered Monica a promotion and she accepted, she was required to attend a customized training course.  

The training—which utilized visual narrative panels and professional development videos— were designed to be fun, bite-sized, and engaging. 

Her favorite session taught the importance of reading body language. 

Monica had recently switched majors to psychology, and the interesting subject matter was relatable. 

She had been actively implementing what she had learned with staff and customers alike. 

As soon as Gabriel walked into the shop, Monica noticed Gabriel’s shoulders were slumped, and her head hung low.

During their team huddle, Monica asked if she could do anything for her young teammates, and Gabriel accepted her manager’s offer of help by nodding and making eye contact. 

Monica went into action! 

She sat with Gabriel in the office. There, Monica actively listened, validated her employee's feelings, and shared a vulnerable, relatable moment from her own lived experiences.

Co-regulation allows us to help others navigate the complexity of their reactions. 

Empathy, too, is an important 21st-century skill which allows us to maintain balanced, healthy interpersonal relationships—in and out of the workplace. 

“In many projects, there is a growing awareness that this skill(the ability to empathize) is going to be the one that carries the day.”