Marissa Afton, co-author of Compassionate Leadership: How to Do Hard Things in a Human Way, discusses the differences between empathy and compassion. The podcast explores the power of switching from 'I understand' to 'How can I help?' It also touches on the challenges faced by women in leadership roles and the benefits of mindfulness in leadership.
Compassionate leadership focuses on the well-being of the entire team, while empathy alone can lead to burnout and overwhelmed feelings.
Mindfulness enhances leadership effectiveness, improving sleep quality, reducing anxiety, and fostering trust and psychological safety.
Deep dives
Compassionate Leadership: How to Do Hard Things in a Human Way
Compassionate leadership is defined as the intention to be of benefit to others. It is different from empathy, which can lead to bias and narrow-mindedness. Compassionate leadership focuses on the big picture, considering the well-being of the entire team or organization. Empathy alone can lead to burnout and overwhelmed feelings. Compassionate leaders balance empathy with a growth mindset, wisdom, and self-awareness. They create a safe and inclusive environment, building trust, engagement, and job satisfaction. Being aware of our ego and cultivating mindfulness through meditation or self-assessment can help leaders navigate difficult conversations, deliver feedback, and make decisions with caring candor. Curiosity and open-ended questions foster two-way communication, leading to better understanding and growth. It is important for leaders to separate the person from their behavior, maintain a growth mindset, invite follow-up conversations, and continue learning and developing their leadership skills.
The Connection Between Compassion and Wisdom in Leadership
Compassionate leaders tend to possess higher levels of wisdom, which includes awareness of making difficult decisions and the courage to take action. Women leaders are rated more compassionate by their followers and tend to have a growth mindset, whereas male leaders often have a fixed mindset. Gender and age also play a role, with older leaders tending to have higher levels of compassion. Women leaders, despite rating themselves lower, are still rated higher by followers. Compassion and wisdom together result in job satisfaction, improved job retention, reduced burnout, and increased employee engagement. Cultivating compassion and wisdom is a trainable skill that enhances leadership effectiveness and contributes to a positive work environment.
Mindfulness in Leadership and Difficult Conversations
Mindfulness, the practice of being present and purposeful, enhances leadership effectiveness. It helps leaders develop self-awareness and clarity, resulting in improved sleep quality, better focus, reduced anxiety, and stronger decision-making. Mindfulness allows leaders to detach from their ego and create space for empathy and curiosity. Mindfulness meditation, even for a short time each day, can positively impact well-being and decision-making. Mindfulness prepares leaders to navigate difficult conversations with caring candor. They can separate the person from the behavior, maintain emotional resonance rather than emotional contagion, and foster an environment of trust and psychological safety. Mindfulness is a trainable skill that leaders can cultivate for continuous personal and professional growth.
Effective Feedback Delivery: Curiosity, Self-Reflection, and Follow-Up
Effective feedback delivery involves curiosity, self-reflection, and follow-up conversations. Leaders should gather and assess the facts objectively and separate personal assumptions from reality. They should focus on the behavior, not the person, and understand the impact of their feedback on the entire team. Curiosity replaces assumptions, allowing leaders to ask open-ended questions and learn from the other person's experience. It is crucial to avoid making assumptions about how the other person feels and instead create a safe space for them to share their perspective. Follow-up conversations provide an opportunity for continued dialogue and support. Leaders should check their intentions, invite feedback, and create a collaborative environment that values growth and development.
Marissa Afton, co-author of Compassionate Leadership: How to Do Hard Things in a Human Way, sits down with Host Laura Zarrow to discuss the differences between empathy and compassion, and the power of switching from “I understand” to “How can I help?” Originally aired with Host Laura Zarrow on February 17, 2022 on SiriusXM’s Business Radio, Channel 132.
