Core Competencies Fall Summit with Elias Scultori, MCC

What Is Empathy… Really? A Deeper Exploration of Empathy in the Coaching Conversation

Empathy is often described as an essential coaching skill. Yet, what does it actually mean to demonstrate empathy in a coaching conversation?

How is empathy different from sympathy, compassion, or the emotional resonance we experience when listening to another person? How can we stay genuinely connected to a client’s experience without losing our center, making assumptions, or feeling compelled to fix what the client brings?

In this interactive 90-minute workshop, Elias Scultori, MCC, invites coaches to look beyond the familiar definitions of empathy and examine the internal stance from which their coaching responses emerge. Through guided reflection, a live coaching demonstration, and group dialogue, participants will explore how empathy influences trust, partnership, presence, and client agency.