Respectful understanding of another person's experiences, including feelings, needs and desires.
Empathy is the work of coaching, create a calm, safe and judgment free space; I respect your pain, I celebrate your joy.
Sympathy - identifying with someone's experience on the emotional level, I feel your....; interferes with listenting, focus more toward coach's feeling, needs, desires
Pity - Feel sorry for ..., view client as casualty, do not empower, undermines self-esteem, no place in coaching