Interpreting generously is the second step in the four-step process of compassion. When we notice suffering, we immediately begin making meaning. Compassionate leaders slow down, recognize shared humanity, and resist blame or distance, creating conditions for wiser, compassionate responses at work. (This is the second in our four-part series on The Elements of Compassion)

Compassion begins with noticing. In a time of rising pressure and fatigue, leaders can often turn away from difficulty or get overwhelmed by it. There is a third way: steady presence. By noticing early signals, creating psychological safety, and seeing clearly without rushing to fix, leaders reduce anxiety, prevent escalation, and lay the groundwork for wise, compassionate action. It is the first in our four-part series on compassion.

What does compassionate leadership look like in real life? Drawing on intention statements from hundreds of leaders across sectors around the world, this article reveals five practical ways people apply compassion every day – from self-compassion and courageous conversations to shaping teams, routines, and systems for lasting impact.

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.

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.

What guides you? Why are you doing the compassionate leadership work that you do? Purpose connects our actions to deeper meaning, at both a personal and collective level. Here are five books that will help you move more deeply into purpose at every level, from the individual to the systemic level, for your summer reading in the Northern Hemisphere or mid-winter reading in the Southern Hemisphere.

At every turn, it feels like we're at each other's throats. Headlines showcase another argument, another fight, another cycle of division. The temptation in these moments is to fight back – to defend our position with equal force, to escalate. But that only intensifies the violence. That only deepens the fractures. What we need instead is cooperation and collaboration.