Organizations that prioritize compassion, safety, connection and belonging are still in the minority and countercultural to our traditional organizational and belief systems. The community of dedicated compassionate leaders who want to contribute to a more compassionate world still faces many challenges within mainstream work culture. How do we continue to stay resourced and motivated? Find out...
What do we think of when we think of enemies? We understand opposites and how they pull in directions that conflict with each other. It isn’t only opposites that can undermine your efforts. Consider the idea of a “near enemy” – something that seems like it should support an intention but actually weakens it. When it comes to compassionate leadership, there are many near enemies. Let’s explore...
When we ask people at the start of our trainings about their curiosities around compassionate leadership, one of the most common questions is, “How can I be a compassionate leader and hold people accountable?” At the Center, compassion and accountability are completely aligned. Discover the five Cs of accountability – five contributors to holding people accountable while leading compassionately.
Some people give and give and give of themselves until they don’t have any more to give. Is there a point where the giving turns counterproductive; when someone is “compassionate to a fault?” This can and does happen, and when it does, it shows the need for awareness of one’s own needs, the value of boundaries, and the importance of understanding what compassion truly is.
We are seeing a backlash to the backlash to “return to the office.” As organizations set rules for physical presence, workers pushed back. Now, there’s a new concern: the absence of spontaneous and casual interactions that occur in person. We’re a relational species, and times demand we create more intention around nurturing relationships. Use these 3 steps to deepen connections to your colleagues and strengthen your teams.
Taking action in the face of uncertainty is scary. As uncertainty and complexity increase, our deepest survival instincts become set off even more. These pressures are particularly pronounced for leaders. Leaders need to sort out matters in their own life and they have teams turning to them for answers. These uncertain times are a chance for leaders to rise by anchoring with equanimity, leading with transparency, and responding to the world pragmatically.
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.
No one is an island. In our competitive world, the temptation is to limit our dependence on others. Organizational and team success requires cooperation and collaboration, and compassionate leaders need to create safe environments that support sharing and co-creation. Recognizing that each person brings unique perspective and gifts to building solutions is at the heart of compassionate culture.
