Effective leadership requires more than competence. Compassion can help to foster a culture of both success and well-being, writes Paul O’Donnell
Challenged by the after-effects of a global pandemic, organisations continue to change rapidly and are conscious of the need for effective leadership and talent engagement.
Research suggests that compassionate leadership can bring the best results, but does compassion have a place in the world of work? The evidence suggests yes, it does.
Compassion in the workplace improves collaboration, humility, trust and loyalty. Leaders who display compassion are more likely to have and hold on to engaged, committed and motivated employees.
While good to have, empathy is an emotion. Compassion is an emotion with intention.
Employees often avoid taking risks at work or rocking the boat during challenging times. They might be hesitant to report errors, for example, to voice concerns, suggest new ideas or share feedback.
Demonstrating compassion as a leader can create a workplace environment conducive to emotional well-being, making employees feel safe enough to take risks that might help them to succeed.
Compassionate leadership can benefit the leader as much as those they lead. Data shows a strong link between the demonstration of compassion and career advancement.
Compassionate leaders enjoy greater life satisfaction and self-esteem and are viewed as stronger and more capable by their employees.
By taking care of your staff, you are also acting in your own interests. Compassion alone is not enough, however. For leadership to be effective, it must co-exist with good judgment.
Kindness cannot come at the expense of competence. The leaders who achieve the best outcomes are those who understand what motivates their employees and how to manage them towards desired outcomes.
Leadership is hard: it necessitates pushing agendas, sharing critical feedback and knowing when to say no.
Practising compassion as a leader does not imply the absence of these responsibilities. Instead, it means carrying them out while being conscious of people’s feelings. As Hougaard and Carter put it: “Wise, compassionate leadership is the ability to do hard things in a human way.”
Developing compassionate leadership
A study showed that 91 percent of over 1,000 surveyed leaders see compassion as vital to leadership. Eighty percent indicated that they wanted to improve their own compassion but did not know how.
Compassion is not an inherent characteristic, but it can be developed. There are several steps leaders can take to develop a more compassionate leadership style.
Have more compassion for yourself
Taking care of others means minding yourself as well. If you are overburdened and burnt out, you won’t be able to help anyone else.
Self-compassion requires getting enough sleep, taking short breaks throughout the day and setting aside time for yourself away from work.
It also means not being too hard on yourself, recognising your mistakes, reframing setbacks as learning experiences and moving forward confidently.
Be aware of your intentions
Learn to manage your intentions before you speak to others by aligning your core values with your actions. Get to know each member of your team to understand what drives them and makes them feel valued.
Advocate for change
Compassion can become integral in an organisation. As a leader, think about policies that may be put in place to support employee well-being. This is beneficial to your employees and can lessen the onus on you over time.
Can compassion become a hindrance?
If you have a well-developed sense of compassion, but feel it hinders your ability to lead, there are a few things you should consider.
Honesty and transparency
As a leader, it is your job to offer guidance, even when it may be difficult for an employee to hear. If you step around the issue to be kind, you risk failing to convey your expectations and the employee will neither understand nor benefit from your help.
Empathy vs compassion
If you find yourself taking on the emotional burdens of your employees, take a step back and remember that you will be most helpful to them through action.
Use your feelings of empathy as a catalyst for compassion and take practical steps to exercise it.
Compassionate leadership propels success
A compassionate outlook enhances a leader’s skills, resulting in more productive and motivated employees.
Empowerment through compassion enables leaders and their teams to achieve their utmost potential, ensuring the organisation’s future success.
Paul O’Donnell is CEO of HRM Search Partners
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