Empathy is credited as a factor in both improved relationships and even better product development.

But while it’s easy to say “just put yourself in someone else’s shoes,” the reality is that understanding the motivations and emotions of others is an elusive capability.

This book helps you understand what empathy is, why it’s important, how to surmount the hurdles that make you less empathetic—and when too much empathy is just too much.

This volume includes the work of:

• Daniel Goleman 
• Annie McKee 
• Adam Waytz

How to be human at work. HBR’s Emotional Intelligence Series features smart, essential reading on the human side of professional life from the pages of Harvard Business Review.

Each book in the series offers proven research showing how our emotions impact our work lives, practical advice for managing difficult people and situations, and inspiring essays on what it means to tend to our emotional well-being at work. Uplifting and practical, these books describe the social skills that are critical for ambitious professionals to master.