Building Bridges

Flash Interview with Magda Amorim

C —What are the secrets of having good empathy? And what if it’s digital?

MA — I don’t know the secrets; in fact, I only understood the big difference between sympathy and empathy a few months ago. Since then it has become one of my many battles – to become more empathic. A lot thanks to these two minutes of animation:

What I have come to understand is that “Everything will be okay” and “At least you’re healthy” attitudes are many times a matter of sympathy for the other, when empathy is about focusing on the other and really listening. Strategies and practices that also work in a digital context.

C — Are there a maximum number of participants for a meeting to be productive? Why?

MA — I believe so, the number of participants in a meeting depend of several factors: format, objective, the preparation required, and I don’t just mean for those leading the session but for all. During the meeting, the number of people directly impacts productivity because for group activities one’s action immediately impacts others. Therefore, if there is a lack of attention or interest, even if from just one person, everyone will be impacted, and productivity will most certainly diminish.

C — In which scenarios do you see remote work and physical distance as an opportunity?

MA — Changes to the way we work and many times the sense of urgency are opportunities to reinvent ourselves due to the need to adapt. Creating something new is exercising our creativity. In what concerns, remote work and physical distance I see them mainly as ways to exercise our creativity, so much needed in our activity.

Of course, the situation we are currently experiencing also brings a precedent that may be used as a more common working model in some companies. First of all, because the initial challenge is operationalising, tools and calendars but then it becomes the modus operandis. But then we also have, the social aspect where trust and relationship must also be reinvented.

The other precedent is the fear of experimenting, which has already been overcome . Having the experience worked, there will certainly be the need to ease into a hybrid model between the current and previous working model, considering people have already created new routines.For this remote working model there are always investments in tools and therefore, we must maximize them. Therefore, there have been several opportunities and many we will still discover.

C — How can we contradict another person’s convictions, know that he/she is wrong?

MA —Someone’s convictions are always motivated or justified with something, an argument. To contradict it, we must first understand, practice active listening and be empathic. We must then focus on facts and allow them to lead the argument, without ever taking it personally. Everyone’s ideals and beliefs are different. However, that should create distance and create no outcome between different opinions.

C — How can various people create something together and produce a realistic result?

MA — To have a realistic result we must know the participants, we are all different and creating a working group that succeeds requires science. Many times, we identify that group by the motivation, the objective which makes a certain group of people believe in something. Then, for the result to be realistic, the group must know how to take risks together. They must have a clear objective and most importantly make sure everyone is working on the right thing – what is going to take them to a realist result.

C — In your opinion, what is the secret force that makes people collaborate?

MA — For me there isn’t a secret force, we are all moved by something when that motivation is clear for the individual as well as for those collaborating. Everything else is constant negotiation between what I can win/lose with those interacting with me. Now, motivations are most certainly different: challenges, learning, recognition, financial security, flexibility… Everyone has theirs but when we accept negotiating those motivations, we have collaboration.