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.
The same attributes that lead to gaining power are attributes that are undermined once one has achieved a position of power. Dacher Keltner, in The Power Paradox, shows us the origins of power, how it is part of all our everyday transactions and can consistently be a positive thing, how power can be abused and lost, and the costs of subjecting others to conditions that create powerlessness.
Many people think that leadership and compassion don’t belong together. In reality, they strengthen and complement each other. Leaders who lead with compassion get better results, and the compassion we so profoundly need in this world will be developed most effectively if our leaders are acting compassionately and spreading compassion.
