Compassionate leaders are thoughtful, diligent and empathetic. They embrace mindfulness and are always looking for ways to foster healthy team dynamics.
While compassion may not be the first skill that comes to mind when you think about strong leadership, it’s likely one of the most essential.
Here are some of the characteristics of compassionate leaders.
Compassionate Leaders Put Relationships First
Compassionate leaders are focused on building strong relationships. They understand the importance of building bonds between staff members as a way to make everyone feel like part of the team.
“Great leaders know the importance of connectedness. They work hard on creating and maintaining great relationships; they make it a priority to inspire, teach, support and encourage others.” – Lolly Daskal
Those who lead with compassion know that relationships are about give and take. They are willing to give trust in order to earn it. They are also often willing to sacrifice their individual needs in exchange for what is best for the team.
They Inspire Camaraderie & Collaboration
Compassionate leaders are good at bringing people together. They inspire camaraderie and collaboration. They know that giving staff a sense of belonging is one of the best ways to get them to show up for their company and their peers.
“A compassionate leader recognizes that the greatest achievements in life cannot be achieved by just one person. Excellence should always be seen as a group effort — especially when the stakes are high.” – Medium
To create this sense of collaboration, compassionate leaders play to each team member’s individual strengths. No matter how big or small the task, effective leaders know how to make each worker feel integral to the success of the company.
They See The Needs Of Employees
Good leaders can appreciate the strengths of their employees. However, they are just as supportive in cases when an employee is in need of guidance.
“The traditional approach is to reprimand the employee in some way. The hope is that some form of punishment will be beneficial: it will teach the employee a lesson. Some managers, however, choose a different response when confronted by an underperforming employee: compassion and curiosity.” – HBR
By approaching problems with curiosity rather than fear, good leaders unlock the potential to understand their team and themselves at a deeper level. They begin to solve problems from a state of stability rather than anxiety.
Compassionate leaders take responsibility for themselves and their team. When assessing things like skill gaps, they are patient and keen to offer help where needed.
“These leaders live with an attitude of abundance and prefer to look at what team members need rather than at what team members aren’t doing.” – Entrepreneur
They Practice Mindfulness
Compassionate leaders embrace mindfulness. Mindfulness is a choice to treat both people and tasks with the time and reverence they deserve.
Mindful leaders are present and focused. Above all else, they are aware of every action they take as an individual and as part of their team.
“When you’re consciously present at work, you’re aware of two aspects of your moment-to-moment experience—what’s going on around you and what’s going on within you.” – Mindful.org
This harmony is exactly what makes compassionate leaders so strong. They are unshakable because they have a sturdy sense of self that’s built from the inside-out.
The best leaders lead from the heart. They are intuitive and emotionally intelligent. Compassion is a necessary skill in business and is something that is learned primarily through experience. It takes time to become aligned with what makes people tick – those who lead with compassion are up for the challenge!
If you have questions or would like more information, I’d be happy to help. Please send an email, and my team will get in touch with you!
