The journey of life and leadership is a never-ending series of cycles, requiring different optimal action depending on the circumstances. There are two constants central to the work of every compassionate leader: self-compassion and the recognition of our shared common humanity. These two provide a powerful foundation for compassionate leaders to act, and guide their choice of the approach to use.

The evidence is compelling. Leaders who act with compassion preside over organizations with lower turnover, more committed employees, and create the opportunity for greater creativity and innovation. Point your compass in the right direction, measure the things within your control, and trust the process. Everything else will follow.

Belonging is a fundamental human need that we all experience and recognize deeply, and is crucial for your employees’ individual well-being and for the effectiveness of your teams and organizations. Here are three compassionate leadership methods we recommend to build a stronger sense of belonging among your entire team.

We are living through a time when everything is in upheaval. As we move forward into a new era, we have an exceptional opportunity to put the pieces together in a way that will lead to a safer, more just, more sustainable world. Is that possible? Yes! Compassionate action, catalyzed and led by compassionate leaders and organizations can play a central role in creating a more humane global society.

No term describes the simultaneous presence of 2 positive attributes in an individual the way comorbidity describes the simultaneous presence of 2 diseases. This isn’t a surprise. Epidemiology has been around since the 1850s, while widespread scientific study of positive emotions and behaviors is more recent. This language gap should be closed and we propose doing so with a new word, “covitality.”