It takes a lot of unique skills to be the most effective and impactful leader you can be. But being compassionate is one of the most important qualities to have when taking on a leadership role. A compassionate leader is a person who takes others into consideration when making decisions, and strives to create a safe and comfortable space for their team to thrive and succeed.
Being compassionate is one of the most important qualities to have when taking on a leadership role. Click To TweetAccording to Entrepreneur, “effective leadership cannot prevail under negative circumstances such as put downs, dishonesty, demands, frustration, denigration, manipulation, fear or micromanagement.”
Becoming a more compassionate leader requires seeing and feeling things the way others do. Here are some key ways to do this:
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Evaluate your own weaknesses and places to improve
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Listen to your team’s feelings and ideas
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Ask questions if things are not clear
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Come to terms with the fact that you may not know everything
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Be open to learning from team members, regardless of hierarchy
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Have serious dialogue about decisions you’ve made with your team
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Be as willing to take constructive criticism as you are to give it
According to Marc Lesser, compassion can be broken down into three domains: empathy, cognitive, and motivation. All three of these aspects involve thinking of others, and making sure you are doing your part as their leader. Being mindful of your team members’ thoughts and feelings leads to less misunderstandings, closer bonds/more trust, and an overall more efficient workplace environment.
Effective leadership requires an open mind — because there is always something to learn from your teammates. This would not be possible without compassion.
You may not have mastered certain aspects of being a compassionate leader just yet, but with time, practice, patience, and humility, I know you can do it. And your team will be better off because of it!
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Take this assessment to find out if you’re a compassionate leader.
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