From the moment we wake, headlines scream at us and videos cause our stomachs to lurch. It’s tempting to tune out when paying attention can be overwhelming, but a multitude of voices remind us that the time for compassion is now. We’re not strangers to threats to humanity and the planet. The impacts of climate change, social injustice, war and the suffering these forces cause are very present.
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.
For twenty years, Kristin Neff has been the leading voice in the field of self-compassion. Her groundbreaking 2003 research paper founded the field, and her first book brought the practice to the broader world. Now, with Fierce Self-Compassion: How Women Can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim Their Power, and Thrive, Neff brings our understanding of self-compassion to a whole new level.
When people hear “compassion,” they often think of the nurturing and kind qualities that are an important part of compassion. Compassion, however, is much more than that. Each of the elements of compassion – awareness, connection, empathy, and action – offer paradoxical tensions that fierce compassionate leaders bring into harmony to raise teams and organizations to new levels of performance.
Learning the principles of compassion and leadership are important steps on the journey to developing a meaningful compassionate leadership practice. Understanding and doing, however, are two different things. Those who want to show up as truly compassionate leaders need to integrate these principles and practices into their whole life so that is who they become.
This chaotic moment in history presents a golden opportunity to bring compassionate leadership into your organization. For courageous leaders ready to develop their own compassionate leadership capacities, this is the second of three posts offering a roadmap to developing these skills. This week we talk about the four dimensions to develop greater organizational compassionate cultures.
