Michael developed the model in 2020 and expanded it in The Power of Empathy, published by Chronicle Books. It has been refined since across 50+ companies, schools, and organizations. Five phases, practiced in order.
Emotional awareness, intelligence and resilience. Notice and name what’s present.
Organizational and individual values alignment. Anchor choices in what you protect.
Turning emotions into attention and focus. Considered response over reaction.
Community emotional awareness. Take perspective, build coalition, act.
From competition to focused innovation. Sustain the practice with vision.
Practiced empathy means reading the moment so your response matches your intent.
Understanding how something looks from where someone else is standing.
Noticing what’s happening in you and in the room.
Feeling with someone, then choosing your response.
The phases are the training. This is the chain they set off, and it is the reason organizations keep going past a single session.
That’s the whole agenda. A complimentary 60-minute working session with Michael Tennant, for you or your leadership team.
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