ARTICLES
Power Can Corrupt Leaders. Compassion Can Save Them.
by Rasmus Hougaard, Jacqueline Carter, and Louise Chester
“Compassion is the key” to saving leaders from the dangers of power. This article is also an original source for the Potential Project’s oft-cited statistic that of 1,000 leaders surveyed, “91% said compassion is very important for leadership,” while “80% would like to enhance their compassion, but do not know how.”
The Five Myths of Self-Compassion
By Kristin Neff
Self-compassion is NOT soft, weak, or selfish. Kristin Neff explains exactly why not. For people concerned about self compassion, this article explains why self-compassion often has the opposite impact to what is expected by those fearful of it.
Compassionate Leadership: What It Is and Why Do Organisations Need More of It?
by Meysam Poorkavoos
A thoughtful and well organized description of and case for compassionate leadership by Roffey Park, a leadership institute based in the UK and Singapore, including a description of the Roffey Park’s compassion in the workplace model.
Does Mindfulness Make You More Compassionate?
by Shauna Shapiro
This comprehensive article lays out the evidence which strongly supports the case that mindfulness strengthens both compassion and empathy. The article contains numerous links to the foundational research in the field on this topic.
What Creates Energy in Organizations
by Rob Cross, Wayne Baker, & Andrew Parker
in MITSloan Management Review
You have the power to be an energy producer or an energy drain in your organization. Which will you choose? This article can help teach you how to create energy wherever you go.
As the authors say, “In short, we systematically found that energy is more than just a New Age concept. It has a substantial and predictable effect on performance and innovation in organizations.”
The 3 Qualities of a Successful Leader
by Jacqueline Carter and Rasmus Hougaard
A summary, by the authors, of the findings and conclusions of their book, The Mind of the Leader. While this summary article is itself valuable, its greatest impact will be to move you to acquire the book.
The Quest for Resilience
by Gary Hamel and Liisa Välikangas
Resilience for organizations is just as important as it is for individuals. In this 2003 article in The Harvard Business Review, Hamel and Välikangas show leaders the importance of avoiding denial, valuing variety, overcoming legacy inertia, and focusing on optimizing to the right model. Practicing compassionate leadership on all four of these dimensions of leadership will equip you to create a truly resilient organization.
Primal Leadership: The Hidden Driver of Great Performance
by Daniel Goleman, Richard E. Boyatzis, and Annie McKee
A team leader's mood drives the mood and behavior of all its team members. The conclusion: One of the most important jobs of a leader is to bring forth optimism, authenticity, and high energy.
Positive Intelligence
by Shawn Achor
Can you be happy before anything good happens? If you can, you are likely on your way to a more successful outcome. While people think that success precedes happiness, it is typically the other way around, according to Achor: “People who cultivate a positive mindset perform better in the face of challenge.”
The real problem
by Anil K. Seth
Anil Seth, editor-in-chief of Neuroscience of Consciousness, has published over 100 academic articles on consciousness. Read this essay, which is accessible to an educated reader, while capturing the richness of Seth’s deep research.
Photo by Maarten van den Heuvel on Unsplash.