The Importance of Empathy

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When we see homeless people, we only see sleeping bags and unwashed clothes and deem them incapable.

Caring for a dog takes planning, consistency, emotional regulation, and responsibility—impressive qualities.

We should ask what this person needs to bring their proven abilities to bear elsewhere.

I love dogs. That was the reason that while sitting in a café during a recent trip to London, my gaze kept going back to a homeless man lying in a sleeping bag across the street. You see, on each side of his sleeping bag lay a dog. The homeless man lay there, staring up at the sky, while each of his hands lovingly caressed and rubbed each of the dogs.

Throughout my career, I have worked with unemployed people with disabilities. Many have been chronically unemployed because, during most of their lives, potential employers have focused almost exclusively on their potential limitations. They were asked in interviews what they could not do, and their capacity regarding productivity, commitment, or reliability was questioned. They were mistakenly judged by appearance or a medical situation and ultimately overlooked.

Yet after employment begins, many of these same individuals become exceptionally dedicated and productive employees. They show resilience,........

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