“Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion … .” Albert Einstein
3 advantages of compassion*:
- Innovation. Compassion enables learning by fostering psychological safety.
- Collaboration. Compassion increases people’s willingness to work together.
- Engagement. Compassion helps people feel they matter.
*Adapted from, Awakening Compassion at Work.
Poser:
Compassion feels like saying, “Gracias,” when you can’t speak a lick of Spanish. You’re a poser. In other cases, it feels like weakness.
How can you practice compassionate leadership when compassion feels awkward?
Think ‘and’ not ‘or’:
Think ‘and’ not ‘or’ when you imagine compassionate leadership.
Compassion elevates and expands leadership attributes. What happens in your thinking when you add compassion to the following leadership attributes?
- Toughness.
- Drive.
- Curiosity.
- Initiative.
- Truth.
- Decisiveness.
- Focus.
- Technical skill.
- Grit.
- Accountability.
Compassion enriches daily leadership behaviors. Toughness, for example, without compassion is cruelty.
Compassion enlarges thinking. One leader said the most impactful coaching conversation he had happened when I asked, “What does your compassionate self tell you to do?”
Noticing:
How do you learn compassion?
Monica Worline and Jane Dutton explain that noticing is the channel for awakening compassion. (“Awakening Compassion at Work.”)
I asked Monica how to show compassion in a specific situation. A member of a team I work with felt some unusual concerns the day the team was scheduled to meet. His brother was donating a kidney to his sister.
Monica explained the power of noticing.
At the beginning of the meeting, I mentioned Bob’s brother and sister. (Everyone already knew.)
“What’s the latest?”
Bob said, “My brother is heading into surgery right now.”
“Feel free to leave if you need to take a call.” I said. It was an acknowledgement. Bob didn’t need my permission.
“Please let us know if you receive any updates.”
“I will.”
Then we started our meeting.
What makes compassion a challenge for leaders?
How might leaders practice compassion?
**I recommend, “Awakening Compassion at Work,” I found it practical and useful.
