For those who only hold on to the softer side of compassion, nurturing compassion, it is hard to recognize the true power leading with compassion offers. Compassionate leaders can hold on to the paradoxical aspect of compassion, which is that it also requires great strength. While power alone or strength over systems may feel more efficient, we all know this approach isn’t effective long-term.
People who are able to hold the tension between two conflicting demands, without feeling forced to choose between the two, can be said to have a paradox mindset. Those who utilize such a mindset have been shown to exhibit greater levels of creativity, adaptability, and productivity. But doing this is not easy. Here we examine three fundamental practices of compassionate leadership to help you target your development in ways that support your capacity to embrace paradox.
For twenty years, Kristin Neff has been the leading voice in the field of self-compassion. Her groundbreaking 2003 research paper founded the field, and her first book brought the practice to the broader world. Now, with Fierce Self-Compassion: How Women Can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim Their Power, and Thrive, Neff brings our understanding of self-compassion to a whole new level.
When people hear “compassion,” they often think of the nurturing and kind qualities that are an important part of compassion. Compassion, however, is much more than that. Each of the elements of compassion – awareness, connection, empathy, and action – offer paradoxical tensions that fierce compassionate leaders bring into harmony to raise teams and organizations to new levels of performance.
