Choosing to be kind, to trust, and to exercise compassion is difficult especially when faced with the tensions in today’s workplaces. And yet, without these essential ingredients, our leadership can fall prey to old notions of power and control. It takes courage indeed to operate from a place of kindness, trust, and compassion, especially when we may hear that for the sake of efficiency, it’s best simply to exert suspicion, anger, and control.
If our job as leaders is to bring everyone along and to remember that no one is easily dispensable, then we should practice exercising the discipline of kindness, compassion, and trust. This practice brings joy, for it expands our capacity to be fully human and creates safety for those who depend on our leadership. When people feel emotionally safe with one another, they have greater possibility for connection and joy.
