Exercise 3: Disagree without debating.

Have a conversation with someone you disagree with. But rather than debating or discussing the contentious issue, share your story of how you came to form your opinion and then listen to how they arrive at theirs.

This is likely to be the most uncomfortable of the exercises, but it's worth doing given our current social climate in which a person's ideology can be equated with their personality. Note: Do not do this exercise with someone who harms or denigrates you or the group you belong to.

This exercise is based on what's called " deep canvassing", a strategy that's used by some activists where they have 10-15- minute, two-way, emotionally-engaged conversations with the people they're trying to persuade. Although deep canvassing has the intention of trying to change someone else's mind, that's not the aim of doing this exercise. Its point is to show us that it's possible to disagree with another person without disliking them or seeing them as the enemy.

" Empathy does not mean condoning - but it can mean understanding," says Dr.Zaki. When his students do this exercise, he reports, " They 're often surprised at how respectful and human conversation across difference can be."

Exercise 4: Use technology to connect, not just to click and comment.

For this exercise, think of how you currently use your phone and rethink how you might use it differently. " Try to be intentional about technology as a medium in which human connection can exist and which you can try to pursue that connection," says Dr.Zaki.

Many of us pick up our phones only to look up an hour later to realize we've spent the time doing a whole lot of aimless scrolling and clicking and not much else. For a few days, do an internal audit each time you catch yourself looking up from your phone. Take notice of how you feel, what ( if anything) you've gained, and what you've retained.

By asking yourself basic questions- " What am I thinking? Is this what I want to be doing? What do I feel right now?"- you have the chance to look at its impact on you and your well-being.

This exercise is not designed to build empathy itself but rather to help us bring kindness and humanity to the online platforms where we spend much of our time. When you can, try to use your digital interactions as a chance to better connect with others. This could mean having more real-time interactions and conversations. Instead of just leaving an emoji on a friend's Instagram post, why not directly text or call them? " The worst thing you can do for your sense of human connection, " Zaki says, Is to just lurk on various platforms and let anger and other negative feelings seep into you like a young Darth Vader."

Exercise 5: Praise empathy in others.

Just like we're conditioned to compliment other people on a great style choice or work accomplishment, let's make it a habit to shout out empathic behavior when we see it, says Dr.Zaki. For this exercise, take a moment in your meetings- whether online or in-person- to recognize the people on your team whenever they help others achieve their goals. " A lot of our attention tends to go towards the loudest voices, which are not necessarily the kindest voices," he points out. ' When we notice the good around us, it balances our attention a little bit."

Feel free to do these exercises in any order you'd like and for as long as you'd like. In fact, why not turn them into a lifelong practice? The more that we can cultivate our empathy and encourage it in others, the more we'll be contributing to an overall culture of kindness.

" There's a fair amount of research on kindness contagion - the idea that when we see it, we're more likely to engage in it ourselves," adds Dr.Zaki. " By calling kindness out, we're more likely to make it magnetic through that social force".