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?
As the pace of positive change around the world accelerates, so does the level of challenge humanity is facing. It is tempting to want to put one’s head in the sand and hope that this will all go away. Or maybe the temptation is to become filled with rage and lash out with anger and hostility. Neither extreme takes us anywhere particularly helpful. What can we skillfully choose to make a constructive difference?
A lot of attention has been given to “The Great Resignation.” What next? The human species owes its strength and its existence to connection and cooperation. We need each other to not only survive but also to thrive. As compassionate leaders, we are remaking our organizations to prioritize safety, connection, and belonging for all. “The Great Reconnection” is already underway.
Questions about bringing compassion to difficult situations are among the most common queries we receive at the Center for Compassionate Leadership. Compassionate Leadership: How to Do Hard Things in a Human Way, by Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter, encourages leaders to take a bigger picture perspective when “hard things” arise.
We are surrounded by fear-based motivation. Marketers create a fear of missing out. Politicians promise disaster if they don’t win. Many organizational leaders use this approach, too. But fear is not our only motivator. To promote flourishing, leaders need to create psychological safety, encourage creative exploration, and respond with an attitude that treats failure as a learning opportunity.
Leaders are doers by nature, which is helpful when it comes to compassion. Skillfully moving compassion into action is how we create safety, connection and belonging for ourselves and for others. Compassion is the path we follow to support us through the uncertainty and challenges of the moment. Read about these three approaches to weave more compassionate action into your path of thriving.
After a year of unprecedented challenges and stress, pausing to consider how to construct the next phase of life may feel more burdensome than liberating. As you explore how you intend life to feel and be, remember to bring a deeper quality of attention to each moment you experience. Resolve to be in alignment with your deepest values, and each choice point will emerge with more ease and clarity.
