I was listening recently to a podcast and was struck by the statement, “compassion is good for business.” Over the subsequent days, I thought about compassion, how to access it, its role in leadership, and in general, compassion’s value when deeply rooted in our overall humanity.

So I reached out to some friends and acquaintances and posed the statement “compassion is good for business.” I asked them what came up for them when they read the declaration. Here is what I learned.

Compassion is the deep caring for the situation/environment/plight of another. Compassion breeds connection, and connection produces trust. Compassionate leaders are interested in the people they serve, their collective difficulties, their challenges, and opportunities. Where employed, compassion is at the center of decision-making, problem-solving and continuous improvements.

When we intentionally employ compassion, we are open to the experiences of others. Compassionate leadership models the importance of caring for others and can bring out the ‘exceptional’ worker in all of us.

Compassionate leadership helps people live productively with their needs met in a functioning, civilized, and civic society. It is for the good of all.

Just for today, breathe compassion into all that you do and say. Call it up. Access it. Thank it. Share it with others. Bring compassion to yourself. 

Compassion makes us all better people. Great leadership can’t exist without compassion. Compassion is Good for Business