In this newsletter, we feature an article about what DDI CEO Tacy Byham considers the “super skill” of empathy. Empathy asks us to walk in the shoes of others and is essential to creating inclusive work environments. And empathy is what is required now if we are to support each other through this time of pain, confusion, and anger in our nation. Many of us who are not Black have no idea what it means to walk in the shoes of someone who is Black and find ourselves on shaky ground when confronted by something so far outside our understanding that we seem to have entered an alternative universe.
We are, of course, horrified by the death of George Floyd, but that is not enough to move our world forward. We must commit ourselves to knowing more about the lives and experiences of our Black co-workers, employees, friends, and neighbors everywhere, because it is only in this way that we can build empathy sufficient to create the just and inclusive world we long for.