Have you ever had a manager who would come into the office and in no time create frantic activity around the office to solve a problem which later seemed minuscule or irrelevant? Have you sat in a presentation where the speaker was visibly nervous and it made you feel uneasy or nervous too? Or have you felt the effects of spending time with people who are delightfully positive or overly negative?
This mirroring of emotion or empathy is what makes us human, but it can also stop us from analysing a situation and helping the person in distress rather than panic along with them. By acknowledging what they are going through and together try to find a way for them to help themselves, you are ‘tuning in’ without being overwhelmed by emotions yourself.
Read more about mirrored emotions by clicking on this link from The University of Chicago Magazine.