Why Compassionate Leadership Isn’t Enough
Being compassionate is a fundamental trait for any leader to possess; practicing understanding towards your employees, especially during these difficult times, is essential to cultivating a positive work environment. However, compassion alone is often insufficient for being a successful leader. It’s also vital for people in leadership positions to demonstrate wisdom in their decisions to ensure that their actions benefit both their employees and the company.
Incorporating wisdom into your leadership decisions means emphasizing being clear and direct when giving employees feedback and making sure that when it comes time to make difficult decisions, you can take the route that is the most beneficial for everyone. It’s important to remember that while you may have a responsibility to each of your employees individually, you also have an obligation to the company at large. Ensuring the stability of the business means that all of your employees will continue to have financial security. Though it may be unpleasant to make decisions like letting someone go, it can be the wisest course of action to keep everything running smoothly.
Wise leadership is also essential to implement in everyday office situations, like providing feedback to people. It may be uncomfortable for someone in charge to inform employees that their performance is unsatisfactory; however, if you or others are dissatisfied with someone’s performance, it doesn’t help them to be unclear in your feedback. Nobody can improve their performance unless they know what they are doing wrong; being honest while keeping compassion in mind is the best course. Acting to correct any unacceptable behavior directly will allow you to have a better relationship with your employees while ensuring that all work is done satisfactorily.
Although it may seem like this style of leadership is directly opposed to the compassionate manner, that is not the case. Combining the two will have the best results. It is possible and advisable to be direct and do what’s best for the company while remembering to consider each employee’s circumstances and keeping that in mind while interacting with them. Discarding either of these critical leadership qualities is likely to result in ineffective leadership that leaves employees unenthusiastic and not fully invested in the company. Keeping both of these traits in mind will ensure a successful arrangement for both your employees and your company in the long term.
This article was originally published on Rick Simon’s leadership blog.
