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For the next nine questions of assessment, assume that you are a strategist for a London$-$based financial services organization called Kelsey Capital. You have just completed a six$-$month study to analyze opportunities to reduce cost and increase the bank's competitive edge.

The conclusion that you must communicate will impact the equity trading and bond trading business units. You have determined that integrating the two business units will benefit the firm.

It will be tough to communicate this decision to the teams. In most investment banks, equity trading and bond trading are separate business units and consider each other rivals. Your presentation must make an airtight argument for the integration.

Your team is working on a pyramid structure to support the argument for integrating Kelsey's equity and bond trading units. They've asked for your help.

One stakeholder you know seems visibly upset by this decision and voices her concerns to you. She pulls you aside in the office and says, with her arms folded, "Between you and me$,$ l$\text{'}$m not happy with any of this. I$\text{'}$m losing sleep over it$.$ And I don't think I can fully embrace this decision."

Empathy is the starting point for all interactions. What would be an empathetic response?

Hug the other person

Express that you feel bad about the situation

Mirror the other person's body language

Get emotional to show you care

Try to understand the feelings of the other person and probe for more information