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Description

Empathy at Work: Listening Differently, Reflecting Back and Easing Tension

Three hours to listen to others differently and defuse relational tension

  • 0.43 days — 3 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Foundation
  • Up to 6 participants

In a tense exchange, the most common reaction is to explain your own position. The other person does exactly the same. Each side defends its viewpoint without ever having understood the other. The discussion goes round in circles and the relationship deteriorates over matters that were never worth the cost.

This short three-hour module develops one precise skill: understanding what the other person is experiencing before responding. Participants practise listening and reflecting back on everyday workplace situations. They distinguish empathy from agreement, then identify the boundary to hold in order to remain available over the long term.

Learning objectives

  • Distinguish empathy from sympathy and from agreeing with the other person
  • Practise uninterrupted listening over a set period of time
  • Reflect back what someone says and feels without passing judgement
  • Ask open questions to help clarify a situation
  • Recognise the signs of excessive emotional load and protect yourself from it

What makes this programme different

Paired practice sessions based on situations brought by participants
Immediate feedback from your partner on how accurately you reflected back
A three-hour virtual classroom format devoted largely to practice

Programme

1Clarifying what empathy is

Understanding without approving

  • The difference between empathy, sympathy and compassion
  • What empathy never obliges you to accept
  • Common barriers to listening in professional settings
  • Identifying your own reflex responses

2Practising listening

Silence, questions and reflecting back

  • Listening without interruption for a set period
  • Open questions to help clarify the situation
  • Reflecting back the content, then the feeling
  • Checking accuracy with the other person

3Sustaining the relationship over time

Empathy and professional distance

  • Signs of excessive emotional load
  • Ways to stay available without absorbing another person's difficulty
  • Choosing the situations where listening becomes the priority
  • Applying the approach to your exchanges in the week ahead

Who is it for

Anyone who interacts regularly with colleagues, clients or service users.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites

Dates & locations

12 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.