Epidemic and Empathy

I've been working in the advertising industry for almost ten years. I often meet sensitive people who easily form relationships, empathetic, typical extroverts whose optimism and openness are their middle name. Business conversations very often shift to a friendly mode, without the slightest loss to professionalism and contract fulfillment.
I am like that myself. I like to listen and I like to speak when someone is listening. I think we gain energy by being among others.
And suddenly: an epidemic. What happens to the energy of an empathetic salesperson during isolation?

At first, fear and anxiety took over, emotions ruled and it was clear that we had a great need to share them with others. Health, family, work, home... Everything in one place and at one time became a whole without clear boundaries. Professional duties didn't stop, but they changed their nature. For example, we - from salespeople, planners, marketers, experts and advisors became negotiators, advocates, logisticians. It's true that this wasn't new to us, but never on such a scale, away from the office and team.

A few weeks of working from home can be challenging. That's when the extroverted nature, which is based on the need to share feelings and conversation, comes to the rescue. It's what allows us to survive various things with our sanity intact.

Relationships are the Foundation

Each of us knows (or suspects) how much relationships matter. Professional and private life is based on relationships; after all, we are created in relationship :). In some industries, they are less important, in others important, and in still others, business is based solely on them. In my advertising industry, relationships are very important. I was reminded of this again recently when I called my business partners - clients I work with - during a difficult time for everyone, simply to ask: how are they doing?

How are you? Health okay? In good spirits? And your family? Everything alright? How's work? And the mood?

Professional duties mixed with household ones, conversations lasted much longer than usual. Business matters took a back seat, or we didn't get to them at all. In the background, children's voices, shouting, laughter, crying, interrupted threads because you had to deal with a child's urgent matter. I even had a conversation with one of them because their child absolutely wanted to talk "just like mom" with the lady on the phone. Conversations drifted to mundane topics, simple activities, plans, domestic situations. We shared concerns, uncertainty, fear for the future, health, family, work. Then we wished each other health and patience.

I think we looked at each other from a different perspective then, and I think we strengthened our relationships.

That time is slowly passing, conversations look different now. Now we can laugh a little, reminisce, return to the first topics and situations related to them, and ask again "How are you?"

Epidemic and empathy - a background for a good practice that we rediscovered: the practice of talking and listening.