Tuesday, October 8, 2013

The 5 Unique Sources of Female Power (which men cannot duplicate!) - Part 3




By:   Priscilla A. Wainwright, Ph.D., CPC


Here’s the 3rd member of the Holy Trinity among the 5 Power Sources.   These three overlap and are highly related.

3.  EMPATHY

            I once saw a poster that I thought was the perfect definition of empathy.    It read, “When you cry, I taste salt”.

            Empathy is the ability to put yourself in another’s shoes, to be so in touch that you have intuitive and emotional understanding of what another person is experiencing and feeling.   One can understand another person’s experience and emotion rationally and intellectually, but this is only partial understanding and therefore not true Empathy.    True Empathy, at its fullest, involves a felt emotional connection between two people.

            Empathic (not “empathetic”) communication is the ability to express in your own words to another what that other must be feeling and experiencing in such a way that the other feels fully understood.

            Clearly, reason and factual knowledge and personal experience are powerful aids to one’s ability to be empathic.   But there is more:    The right-brained “gut reaction” that we women tend to experience more fully than men.

            Sidebar:    About “power” – Male power tends to be more authority-based.   I can give orders due to my position, experience, superior knowledge, etc.   Female power is typically more “influence” based.    I don’t need necessarily to be the boss or formal leader.    My power comes through interpersonal connection.

            Empathy, and empathic communication add the power of deep Human Connection to the BIG THREE.   All “success” is social; no one holds interpersonal power which is not granted by others.    Preach or command all you want.    If others don’t listen or follow, what power do you really have?   (only the power to create hot air!).

            Empathy, then, adds the magic social touch to your Emotion and Intuition when others are involved.

            Emotion = added data, deeper feeling.
            Intuition = higher wisdom
            Empathy = Emotional and Intuitive connection.

            The demonstration of empathy adds considerable social power through the feeling of bonding which is created when one feels fully or properly understood by another.   Empathy boosts Influence.

            Empathy’s handmaiden is Compassion.    Compassion is also a significant Female Power Source, but I include it under Empathy for our discussion.

            Compassion fuels Empathy and is often the driving force behind it.   Empathy is the “understanding”, Compassion is often the reason that Empathy is expressed in the first place.

            We’ve wrapped up the Big Three.   On to Power Source Four in my next blog.
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             NEWS FLASH!   Simply Woman ezine has just published my article, "7 Ways To Command The Respect You Deserve".  Here's the link:

http://www.simplywoman.com/7-ways-to-command-the-respect-you-deserve/

ALSO, every day I post a "Pris's Pick-Me-Up" on my Facebook page. Check it out.

Have a Frabjous Day!

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