Research shows in recent years that 60% of Americans are deemed to be lonely. We all feel it to some degree, and our mental and emotional health is compromised as a result. In fact, lacking social connection, both at work and in our personal lives, can have as negative an impact on a person’s mortality as smoking, hypertension, or physical inactivity.
We choose our work based on its alignment with our own values and needs. We naturally identify with work in valuable and healthy ways. If we take this identification too far, it can become harmful. Overidentification can have harmful impacts on both our personal and our professional lives. Foundational practices of inner compassion can support compassionate leaders in avoiding the pitfalls of overidentifying with work.
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.
The journey of life and leadership is a never-ending series of cycles, requiring different optimal action depending on the circumstances. There are two constants central to the work of every compassionate leader: self-compassion and the recognition of our shared common humanity. These two provide a powerful foundation for compassionate leaders to act, and guide their choice of the approach to use.
At the heart of our Compassionate Leadership model is the innermost circle representing self-compassion. Compassionate Leadership as developed in our model is built from the inside out. It is critical to stand in a position of authentic grounding in our truest self. Before we can effectively lead others, we must be an effective leader of our own life.
“How do we save ourselves, and how do we save the world?” That question (one we frequently hear at the Center for Compassionate Leadership) was at the core of the Wisdom 2.0 Mindfulness in America conference. Here’s just a taste of the insights we gained from the likes of Soren Gordhamer, Richard Davidson, Sharon Salzberg, Dan Siegel, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Rhonda V. Magee, and David Simas.
