Compassion is an essential component of good leadership. But this can be a difficult ideal to live up to when the rest of your company’s culture is more cutthroat. To be compassionate when that’s not the norm, you need to lead by example. Your behavior sets the bar. People notice how you change your position when you receive new information, how you deal with pressure, and whether you’re going to bat for them. Do your best to show up for your team, even when that means going against the grain. Even as you try to treat everyone with kindness and interest, you’ll have to make choices about where to invest your time and energy. Otherwise, you’re heading right into burnout territory. So choose your priorities carefully and try not to overpromise. Finally, continue delivering business results. The more you do that, the more organizational credibility you’ll develop, and you’ll need that clout to advocate for your team and their interests. Ideally, others outside your area will come looking to see how you’ve been so successful and learn from your compassionate ways.
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