James LaughlinHigh-performance leadership and executive coach. Covering all aspects of life and career.

Are you a SLAVE to your phone? Distraction is killing you… #empathy #distaction #focus #attention

29 Aug 2023 · 0 min

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0:26

Short excerpt from a James Laughlin YouTube video arguing that empathy requires full presence and sustained attention; pervasive distraction (e.g., from phones) undermines the ability to be truly empathic. The speaker urges listeners to create space and time to be radically present for others.

Empathy is one of the most complex forms of attention we have and the most precious. Many of the most important advances in human history have been advances in empathy. Look, to be empathic, you've got to be present, you've got to think, you've got to put yourself in other people's shoes, you've got to be fully and radically present. So please, don't kid yourself thinking, hey, I'm very empathic. If you're constantly distracted, you need space and time and presence to be empathic.