I had my empathy intervention moment at an Apple Store. A friend of mine had dropped and broken my phone so I needed to get the screen replaced. Getting an appointment was a hassle and spending my day waiting around for it, all while I had an important midterm the next day, already had me in a stressed mood. After a long day going to and from the Apple Store, I came back for my appointment and the ‘receptionist’ (first person of contact) had told me that my appointment was canceled because of no text response on my end (which I never received in the first place). At that moment, I had otherized this girl. I thought, “does she not understand all of the things I have going on today? I had an appointment and how dare she cancel it?” After asserting that I needed that appointment and phone fixed that day, I quickly realized that I had otherized her. I have worked as a hostess in hospitality before, so I knew that this was in no way her fault, but a fault in the system. She was doing her best to accommodate me, while I was getting defensive. Putting myself in her shoes allowed me to step back and work with her to see what she could do for me. This intervention gave me the chance to be a kinder, more patient person. I will always try to empathize with others, even if it is one step at a time.
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