Interaction and Sportsmanship · Dimension 16 of 20

Empathy

The ability to understand another person’s perspective and feelings, listen without rushing to judgement and respond in a way that supports effective sporting relationships.

Perspective-takingListeningSocial awarenessTeam connection

16of 20 dimensions

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Understanding empathy

Strong sporting relationships begin with understanding another viewpoint.

Empathy is the ability to imagine another person’s experience and see a situation from their perspective. In sport, this may involve understanding a coach’s concern, a teammate’s frustration or a competitor’s behaviour without immediately deciding that their view is right or wrong.

Empathy supports openness and communication because people are more willing to speak honestly when they feel heard. Athletes who listen carefully and notice tone, expression and behaviour can respond more appropriately and contribute to stronger team relationships.

Social awareness can also provide useful competitive information, but empathy should not become manipulation or assumption. The aim is to understand more accurately, check interpretations and respond with respect while retaining appropriate boundaries.

Dimension video

Watch: Empathy in sport

Explore how perspective-taking and attentive listening can improve communication, teamwork and responses to other people.

Empathy and communication in sport

Watch on YouTube ↗

Why it matters

Empathy turns social awareness into better communication and cooperation.

Coach–athlete communication

Understanding the meaning behind feedback and asking thoughtful questions supports trust, clarity and productive discussion.

Team connection

Athletes who recognise other people’s concerns can offer useful support, manage disagreement and contribute to team cohesion.

Situational awareness

Reading tone, body language and behaviour helps athletes judge how teammates and competitors may respond in changing situations.

How empathy may appear

Look for patterns, not labels.

When empathy is a strength

Listens without interrupting or preparing an immediate defence
Asks questions that clarify another person’s experience
Notices changes in tone, expression and behaviour
Adapts communication to individual and cultural differences
Responds appropriately when someone appears under strain

When it may need development

Assumes they understand what others think without checking
Focuses on replying rather than listening carefully
Dismisses views that differ from their own experience
Misses signs that a teammate is struggling or disengaging
Treats empathy as agreement and avoids necessary challenge

Balance matters: empathy means understanding, not automatically agreeing, excusing behaviour or taking responsibility for another person’s feelings. Effective athletes combine concern with honest communication, sound judgement and clear boundaries.

Developing empathy

Six practical ways to understand and respond to people better.

Take the other perspective

Before reacting, describe the situation as the other person might see it and identify what may matter most to them.

Learn the wider context

Take time to understand teammates’ roles, circumstances, pressures and concerns rather than knowing them only as athletes.

Listen visibly

Give full attention, use open questions and summarise what you heard so the speaker can correct your interpretation.

Check rather than assume

Treat body language and tone as clues, not proof. Ask a respectful question before deciding how someone feels.

Respect cultural differences

Remain curious about different communication styles, values and sporting experiences instead of treating your norm as universal.

Notice warning signs

Pay attention when a teammate becomes withdrawn, irritable or unusually fatigued, and offer a private, non-judgemental check-in.

Practise a perspective-check conversation

Choose a recent disagreement. Ask the other person how they saw the situation, listen without correcting them, summarise their main point and ask whether you understood it. Then explain your own view and agree one practical next step.

Explore the SPQ20 ↗

Empathy in practice

Understand first, then decide how best to respond.

Athletes do not need to share another person’s opinion in order to understand it. Separating understanding from agreement makes it easier to listen openly and reduces the urge to defend, correct or solve the problem too quickly.

Empathy becomes useful through action: changing the timing or tone of a conversation, offering support, clarifying expectations or addressing conflict respectfully. The response should fit both the person and the sporting situation.

“What makes football great is that it is a team sport.”

Arsène Wenger · Football manager

“I smile even when I’m nervous—it calms me and shows friendliness.”

Yani Tseng · Golfer

Discover your profile

Find out where you stand on Empathy.

The SPQ20 measures Empathy alongside 19 other personality and mental-skill dimensions to provide a connected picture of your mental game.

Assess my mental game ↗Learn about the SPQ20