Compassionate Leadership in Action: How to Become an Inspiring Leader Every Day

“Never mistake my silence for ignorance, my calmness for acceptance, or my kindness for weakness. Compassion and tolerance are not signs of weakness but signs of strength.”
~ Dalai Lama 14

When discussing compassionate leadership, I often sense that many people view it as a complex concept requiring a complete overhaul of their management style. Rest assured, this is not the case.

Of course, if you’re an authoritarian manager who treats employees like mere numbers, believing there will always be people willing to endure such treatment to work for your company, the change might seem radical. That said, it’s highly unlikely such a person is reading this. If so, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on the impact you have on your team.

Yes, your employees may complete the tasks you assign, but likely more out of fear of consequences than a genuine desire to help your company excel. While this approach might yield short-term results, it prevents you from unlocking the full potential of your team members, leveraging their creativity, or freeing yourself from constant oversight and micromanagement.

This style keeps you in the role of a boss, perpetually putting out fires. Perhaps you fear that adopting a more inclusive approach might diminish the perceived importance of your contributions or your position.

Where to Begin

There are several steps to becoming a compassionate leader, but it’s important to remember that this is a long-term journey—a marathon, not a sprint.

In previous articles, I delve into several key qualities to develop as a leader:

• Integrity
• Innovation
• Honesty
• Active listening
• Self-confidence
• Vision
• Delegation skills
• Decision-making ability
• Problem-solving skills
• Fairness and equity
• Humility
• Strong communication skills

Developing these qualities will help you foster collaboration within your team and inspire your employees to exceed expectations. These gains will contribute to achieving organizational objectives.

Naturally, this will require effort on your part—it is still management, after all. You will also need openness from your employees to embrace new ways of working.

Starting with Compassion: A Leadership Act

Before considering a complete transformation, I firmly believe compassion is the starting point.

• How do you feel when someone offers to help you when you need it?
• What emotions arise when someone greets you with a smile?
• What’s the true cost of a kind gesture?
• What prevents you from incorporating such simple actions into your daily routine?

I truly understood the impact of my words and actions on others when I became a team manager. To be clear, I already suspected that my arrogant and dismissive comments during my childhood and teenage years (apologies to nearly all my teachers from back then 😔) weren’t positive and negatively affected people’s egos or moods.

However, when I channeled this energy toward a positive goal, I had a revelation that completely changed my life: small actions, seemingly insignificant to us, can have a profound impact on others.

It only takes observing and connecting with people.

The Power of Connection

In today’s technology-driven world, it’s becoming increasingly common to communicate via social media or email rather than engaging directly with others. We often use our busy schedules as an excuse to stay in our offices, distanced from our employees.

Yet, employees don’t ask for the impossible. A simple “hello,” a smile, or even learning their names can show them their importance within the organization.

If you’re hesitant to adopt this approach at work, try practicing it in your everyday life. The people you meet in stores or on the street are neither friends nor colleagues.

If your interaction isn’t perfect, it likely won’t have any lasting impact on your life. However, it gives you a chance to observe others’ reactions and gauge the effects of your kind gestures. These experiences can then be applied in your professional environment.

Examples of Compassion in Action

Everyday Example

During a recent trip to the grocery store with my two teenage sons, I came across a woman in a wheelchair who seemed to be struggling with her cart, which she was pulling with one hand, and a bottle of bleach she was trying to place on her wheelchair. A few items had fallen to the ground.

I asked her if she needed help, and within 20–30 seconds, her mood improved, and the situation was resolved. My kids, who use an “aura scale” to grade our good and bad deeds, gave me 1,000 auras for this gesture.

They’re always embarrassed when I talk to strangers, and they don’t quite understand what I get out of it or my intentions. They usually run off to avoid being identified as my kids.

So, I used their praise as an opportunity to explain that this kind of action takes minimal time and effort (just 20–30 seconds in this case) but can have a significant impact on someone else’s life.

I believe most adults would have helped this woman upon seeing her distress, but the purpose of sharing this example is to show that, whether in everyday life or at work, a series of small gestures to help others can have an enormous impact.

Workplace Examples

First example

During a visit to a client, as I was leaving, I ran into a former colleague, and we walked together toward the parking lot. As we passed by the security guard, I greeted him by name.

My friend, surprised that I knew the name of the security guard at her facility, admitted that she sees him every other morning but didn’t know his name. Embarrassed, she explained that her workload no longer allows her the time to interact with the security staff, though she used to do so in the past.

I replied that I completely understand how busy she is in her current role, but remembering someone’s name doesn’t necessarily require long conversations. Simply using their name in future interactions can be enough to give them a sense of recognition and importance.

Remembering names isn’t always easy, but in my experience, it’s a remarkably powerful gesture.

Second example

When I was a production supervisor, I managed dozens of temporary employees from agencies. During my floor rounds, I would make an effort to connect with them, even briefly, and my first question was always to ask for their name.

I have a good memory for names, so it was easy for me. One day, after I addressed an employee by his name, he told me that I was the only supervisor who remembered his name. Seeing the smile on his face, I could tell that it made him feel important in my eyes.

Effort on my part: simply asking for his name and making an effort to remember it.

Impact on him: increased engagement and motivation to work within my team.

There’s no shame in forgetting a name and confirming it again to use it correctly the next time. The impact remains the same, and the employee’s motivation grows.

In summary, the first step to becoming a leader is building relationships with those you lead and addressing their needs. Simple gestures, which might seem insignificant to you, can profoundly influence their engagement and motivation.

Challenge Yourself to Lead with Compassion