Mapa da Empatia | Sofia de Castro Fernandes | TEDxFigueiroDosVinhos

Sofia de Castro Fernandes' Journey with Empathy

• Sofia de Castro Fernandes, the speaker, is a curious and driven individual who has had a diverse career despite her background in law.
• She emphasizes the importance of curiosity and how it has led her to seize numerous opportunities.
• Sofia acknowledges her age (50 years old) and the significant experiences she has accumulated over her lifetime.
• She expresses her passion for empathy and its role in both personal and professional settings.
• Sofia highlights the challenges of condensing her thoughts on empathy, a topic she deeply cares about.
• She credits her partner, Pedro, for his support in creating the visual elements of her presentation.
• Sofia shares a personal anecdote about her journey of transformation, including a significant weight loss, and how it has influenced her understanding of empathy.
• She reveals that her interest in empathy stems from a desire to be truly understood, a feeling she didn't always experience in her younger years.
• Sofia has dedicated the past three years to exploring and applying empathy in her work.

Empathy in the Corporate World

• The speaker, Sofia de Castro Fernandes, emphasizes the importance of empathy as a pillar of emotional intelligence.
• She and Pedro have developed an empathy map to be used within companies.
• Empathy is defined as the ability to put oneself in another's shoes, but also to maintain one's own objectives.
• The speaker acknowledges that empathy can be perceived as a "guru" concept in the corporate world, but emphasizes its importance for achieving results.
• She highlights that companies are made up of people and that empathy is crucial for success, even in the age of artificial intelligence.
• The speaker distinguishes between empathy and sympathy, explaining that empathy involves understanding another's feelings, while sympathy involves feeling sorry for them.
• She uses the example of a child struggling with a subject to illustrate the difference between empathy and sympathy.

The Importance of Understanding in Education

• A parent is seeking a school for their child, Martim, who only wants to study math, science, English, and sports (specifically football).
• The parent is struggling to find a school that meets these specific requirements and is unsure how to explain the situation to Martim.
• Martim questions the purpose of subjects he doesn't enjoy, like arts and physical education, asking "What's the point?"
• A friend helps explain the concept of compulsory education to Martim, emphasizing that attending school is a requirement.
• Martim initially believes that he can avoid school and pursue his passion for football at an academy.
• The parent clarifies that this is not possible until Martim completes his compulsory education.
• The speaker, Sofia de Castro Fernandes, is concerned about her son, Martim, feeling misunderstood at school.
• She believes that Martim needs a school that encourages critical thinking and empathy.
• Sofia and her husband, Pedro, are actively searching for a school that aligns with these values.
• Sofia draws a parallel between her work in helping companies understand their customers through empathy maps and her desire to help Martim find a school that understands him.
• She emphasizes that Martim is the most important person in her life, after herself, and she is committed to finding a school that fosters his growth and well-being.
• Sofia believes that investing in empathy and understanding within organizations and schools is a worthwhile investment that will ultimately lead to positive outcomes.

Empathy in the Workplace

• Empathy maps are crucial for understanding and improving employee well-being. When employees feel satisfied and fulfilled, they are more productive, which ultimately leads to a more profitable company.
• Ricardo and Joana emphasize the importance of considering employee values and needs. It's not enough to simply offer benefits; companies need to understand what truly motivates and resonates with their employees.
• The speaker uses the example of a company trip to illustrate this point. While the company owner thought it was a great incentive, many employees did not value the trip and found it inconvenient. This highlights the importance of understanding individual preferences and needs.
• The speaker emphasizes the importance of "feeling with" employees, not just "doing for" them. This means actively engaging with employees and understanding their perspectives, rather than simply providing benefits without considering their individual needs.
• The speaker compares this concept to parenting. Instead of simply doing things for their child, parents should engage with their children and participate in their activities. This creates a stronger bond and fosters a sense of connection.
• The speaker encourages viewers to watch a video by Brené Brown on YouTube. This video further explores the importance of empathy and vulnerability in leadership.

Understanding Empathy Through Metaphor

• The text discusses the difference between sympathy and empathy using a video created by Brené Brown.
• The video uses a metaphor of a person falling into a hole to represent experiencing pain or difficulty.
• Sympathy is represented by animals like goats, who offer solutions to alleviate the pain, but don't truly understand the person's experience.
• Empathy is represented by a bear, who joins the person in the hole, demonstrating understanding and shared experience.
• The speaker emphasizes that empathy is not about offering solutions, but about listening and being present with the person's pain.
• The speaker highlights the importance of silence in allowing for genuine empathy, as it allows for deeper understanding of the other person's experience.
• The speaker shares a personal experience of losing a pregnancy, emphasizing how people often try to offer solutions instead of simply listening.
• The speaker concludes by stating that what people need in difficult times is to be heard and understood, not to be given solutions.
• The speaker emphasizes the importance of listening and the need to regulate our tendency to interrupt others.
• They highlight the challenge of staying silent and truly listening, especially when we know the person well.

Different Types of Empathy

• The speaker introduces three levels of empathy, with the most common being emotional empathy.
• Emotional empathy is described as the immediate reaction we have when someone we care about is in distress, often leading to a freeze response.
• The speaker uses the example of seeing someone get hurt during a football game to illustrate emotional empathy.
• Empathy comes in different forms: Sofia de Castro Fernandes explains that there are different types of empathy, including emotional empathy, where you feel the other person's pain, and concerned empathy, where you actively seek solutions to problems you observe.
• Concerned empathy is about finding solutions: She gives an example of how she instinctively rearranged chairs to accommodate people who hadn't registered for a lecture, demonstrating her concerned empathy.
• Empathy is not a fixed trait: Sofia emphasizes that everyone has different levels of empathy and that it can be developed through practice. She mentions that medical professionals are trained in cognitive empathy, which allows them to remain objective while treating patients.
• Cognitive empathy is crucial for medical professionals: Sofia explains that cognitive empathy is essential for doctors to effectively diagnose and treat patients. She suggests that patients should understand that doctors are trained to be empathetic in a cognitive way.
• Empathy is a skill that can be learned: Sofia shares her personal experience of overcoming challenges and developing her empathy skills through practice and training. She emphasizes that empathy is not something you are born with but rather something you can cultivate.

Cultivating Empathy

• Sofia de Castro Fernandes emphasizes that empathy is a skill that can be developed and practiced. She encourages people to remember that empathy is not simply about offering superficial comfort, but rather about actively listening and understanding others.
• She highlights the importance of silence as a communication tool, emphasizing that true communication involves listening as much as speaking.
• Sofia shares her personal experience of accepting a challenging invitation as an example of how practicing empathy can lead to personal growth and stepping outside of one's comfort zone.
• She believes in the power of the butterfly effect, suggesting that the empathy we offer to others is ultimately reflected back to us.

Conclusion

• Sofia de Castro Fernandes expresses her gratitude for the positive experience she had at the event.
• She states that she enjoyed being there and appreciates the audience's presence.
• She thanks the audience for their applause.