Leading with Compassion
God on Monday
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‘As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things’ (Mark 6.34).
Reflection
Empathy is widely endorsed as a characteristic of good leadership. Leaders who exercise it seek to understand their teams and to identify with what team members are feeling or thinking.
Leading with compassion goes further. Although it involves looking at things from the perspective of team members, it also involves taking action to support them with the resources they need. It involves, in addition, communicating with openness and vulnerability. Compassionate leaders need, therefore, to exercise self-sacrifice and courage.
The gospels record on several occasions that Jesus was moved with compassion. It is clear in the case cited above that he did not settle for empathy. After the death of his relative John the Baptist, Jesus withdrew with the apostles to a deserted place to rest. But when the crowds followed him there, he did not turn them away, despite his grief.
Even when the apostles suggested sending the crowds away to find their own food, Jesus instead instructed them to give the people something to eat, and five thousand people were fed. Jesus met people where they were and was concerned for their well-being.
Leaders need to build teams that reflect the organisation's values and achieve high-performance standards. Compassionate leaders are more likely to achieve this than leaders who are merely empathetic. As the saying goes, “People do not leave bad jobs, they leave bad bosses.”
Response
Leaders should not tire of asking themselves how they can help those they lead, even if this means providing them with constructive feedback. They need to be prepared to make adjustments, subject to company values and personal circumstances, to help team members flourish.
Prayer
O Lord, thank you that we see in the Gospels examples of Jesus leading with compassion. Help us to learn from them what compassionate leadership looks like. May we model such leadership in our work this week. Amen.
This Week's Author
Deepa Tharmaraj, Lawyer, and founder of WELL (Women Empowered Life & Leadership).
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