Lack of knowledge is one of the most common barriers to leading compassionately. Many leaders have said they would like to strengthen their compassion skills but lack the knowledge as to how to do it. Science shows that this is a capacity that we have always had. Recognizing that compassion and leadership are complementary can set us on the path of growing our compassionate leadership.
We are a competitive species. Sometimes so much so that we work well past the point of flourishing. Can we courageously make choices in our leadership and life that support thriving for ourselves and for the whole world. To do this, we need to overcome our impulse to perfectionism and the difficulty we have setting healthy boundaries.
As we explore the obstacles to compassionate leadership, we turn to the issue of excessive time demands, which is named consistently in our leader surveys. What is a compassionate leader to do? We start by changing our relationship with time, ourselves, and the culture. Be realistic about the fixed nature of time. Practice self-compassion. Be courageous – name when the system is broken and collaborate to create more human solutions.
Over the past few years, we’ve surveyed hundreds of leaders in our training programs and retreats about the most challenging barriers they face to leading more compassionately. In the weeks ahead, we will explore the barriers to compassionate leadership and ways that these challenges may be overcome. Some are fairly straightforward and to be expected, while others may seem counterintuitive. Which barriers show up in your leadership?
Learning the principles of compassion and leadership are important steps on the journey to developing a meaningful compassionate leadership practice. Understanding and doing, however, are two different things. Those who want to show up as truly compassionate leaders need to integrate these principles and practices into their whole life so that is who they become.
