Cultivating Empathy: Benefits & Tips Empathy is the ability to understand how others feel and & be able to put yourself in their shoes, despite any differences. It's basically about perspective-taking and compassion. It is a foundation needed to build good relationships, both personal and professional, & is key to preventing cruelty such as bullying, exploiting other's weaknesses etc. The good news is, just like any other skill, empathy too can be taught and instilled in children. Keep reading if you want to learn how you can help cultivate empathy in your child.