Compassion hesitancy is common at work, driven by fears of appearing weak or being taken advantage of. By acknowledging these fears, clarifying the powerful strength of compassion, and embodying it through daily actions and systems design, leaders create successful teams and organizations where employees flourish.

Change is happening! The evolution of leadership toward compassion and connection is no longer a distant ideal. It’s unfolding right in front of us. If you doubted that compassion could take root in even the most competitive sectors, the Oct. 27 Compassion in Finance Summit in New York City offered powerful evidence that compassionate leadership’s impact is valued everywhere.

When we interpret others’ actions with generosity instead of suspicion, we open the door to trust, collaboration, and belonging. In a world quick to judge, assuming goodwill is a courageous act. By choosing curiosity over judgment, leaders strengthen relationships and foster cultures where people thrive.

Many leaders know compassion on a personal level: pausing to listen, offering support, extending care. This is leading WITH compassion. The next step is scaling it across the organization in order to lead FOR compassion. By shaping roles, routines, networks, and culture, organizations create the conditions for both people and performance to thrive.

Compassionate leadership doesn’t mean giving until you’re empty. By setting healthy boundaries and building supportive roles, routines, networks, and culture, leaders sustain energy while caring for others. This balance prevents burnout, fosters resilience and trust, and creates workplaces where compassion fuels both human connection and lasting performance.

Compassionate leadership elevates accountability. While punitive accountability breeds fear and disengagement, restorative accountability builds trust, strengthens motivation, and transforms mistakes into growth. By pairing high standards with authentic support and care, we create stronger teams, healthier cultures, and leaders who inspire excellence with humanity.

To win support for compassionate leadership, start with what matters to leaders: results. Pair research on performance, retention, and innovation with real stories and your own example. Over time, consistent, authentic compassion proves that caring for people and driving results go hand in hand.

Do you want to lead with more compassion, but aren’t sure where to start? Wanting to show up for others means you are already on the right path. Opportunities to lead with compassion will arise naturally every single day. Compassionate leadership grows from how you choose to respond in your day-to-day moments. Learn where to start with these three pillars of compassionate leadership.

How do we change teams, organizations, and systems to exhibit greater compassion competence? Compassion flows from the inside out, so an important place to start is with self-compassion. In celebration of International Self-Compassion Day, four leading thinkers and practitioners of compassionate leadership share how they view self-compassion as important for leaders.

The fractures in our world are undeniable as we witness an era marked by division, isolation, and polarization. This sense of separation has seeped into our daily lives, and in this climate, it can be easy to lose hope. Still, the desire to live in supportive community remains as strong as ever. Compassionate leaders understand the path to building connection.