Our drive to achieve and accumulate comes from a place of wanting to create safety. It also comes with a terrible cost. The more we succeed at setting ourselves apart, the lonelier it becomes. The good news is that we are also wired to care for each other. Recognizing our interconnectedness supports us in leading in order to thrive individually, in communities, and in organizations.
No one gets a pass. Not world-class athletes, CEOs, essential workers, parents, teachers, or our kids. We all suffer. We also have a choice about how we respond to suffering through our leadership. We can choose to work together to find a response, or we can turn away. What kind of culture are you modeling and creating in your organization?
Speaking up can be a scary act. Examples abound of leaders who shoot messengers bringing opinions that differ from what they want to hear. Creating cultures that celebrate those willing to speak up and become vulnerable starts with leaders. If you want others to take risks for you, show your own vulnerability and trust first. The benefits will show up in greater safety, connection and belonging.
The disruptions from COVID-19 have been enormous, and the loss of life has been tragic. Yet, as a collective, we have still found ways to adapt with remarkable resilience. Many colleagues tell us that some of their life and work changes have been unexpectedly positive. If we stop and reframe our experience, we may be able to find learning and growth amid the suffering.
The COVID pandemic has exacerbated what was already a problem of epidemic proportions: burnout and overwhelm. As we emerge from the pandemic, will we learn the lessons of the costs of burnout and find better solutions as we move forward? Relieving burnout must start with organizations, and compassionate leaders can change their organizations by changing themselves.
This year has truly been one to demonstrate the importance of compassionate leadership. As we look back, 2020 was a year that never stopped demanding that leaders respond with greater compassion. We’ve chosen the essential blog posts to help you gain a better understanding of compassionate leadership and how to operationalize it so that your organization embraces a compassionate culture.
Things feel overwhelming right now in ways that they haven’t felt in a very long time. This level of disruption makes it easy to feel that change is beyond our control or power. Compassionate leaders know there ARE things that we can do to bring change forward. Consider these three ideas to help settle yourself into a place of empowerment, and focus yourself for change.
We are living through a time when everything is in upheaval. As we move forward into a new era, we have an exceptional opportunity to put the pieces together in a way that will lead to a safer, more just, more sustainable world. Is that possible? Yes! Compassionate action, catalyzed and led by compassionate leaders and organizations can play a central role in creating a more humane global society.
Compassionate leadership can be found in many settings, some expected and some surprising. Three recent events within the NBA show that compassion can be practiced even within hyper-competitive environments. Here are three recent examples that display traits of compassionate leadership: awareness, empathy, collaboration, and the promotion of diverse teams.
