One of the most common questions asked during interviews is “What is your leadership style?” Most interviewees answer something like “consultative,” “situational,” or “persuasive.” Each of these leadership styles is important in different industries and on different rungs of the corporate ladder. However, over my career, I’ve found the most effective and versatile leadership style in any career is compassionate leadership. Though compassion is rarely a trait we think about as valued in the hyper-competitive world of business, compassionate leadership improves staff engagement, employee productivity, and profitability. Here are the five most important traits of compassion leadership and how they are truly transformative in business.
1. Compassionate Leadership Is Flexible
Compassionate leadership is extremely adaptive to both the needs of the team and fluctuations in the market. Compassionate leadership is personalized and situational, rather than based on assumptions. Every employee gets a leadership style they work best under. Compassionate leadership is also very proactive, rather than reactive. When there are shifts in the market, compassionate leadership is ready to respond with intuitive and innovative solutions.
2. Compassion Leadership Is Inclusive And Focused On Collaboration
Compassionate leadership is, in essence, altruistic and empathetic, putting people first. Compassionate leaders understand how teamwork in a positive environment can help companies quickly achieve their goals. They are able to identify the unique skills of every team member and put them in the right role to optimize their chances of success, improving workflow processes and efficiency.
3. Compassionate Leaders Are Hyper-Aware
Stemming from their empathetic nature, compassionate leaders always know what’s going on in their department. They foster a culture of transparency, where employees are encouraged to celebrate their successes and share their mistakes without fear. This leads to a workplace with high levels of accountability and when goals are not being met, it is easy for compassionate leaders to know exactly where to make improvements.
4. Compassion Leaders Are Trustworthy And Trusting
Compassionate leaders know that trust is a two ways street. They are as open and authentic with their employees as they expect their employees to be with them. Building trust within a team ensures that everyone believes in the leadership and is able to see the larger picture. Compassionate leaders are better able to gets employees to deliver results when asked.
5. Compassion Leadership Is Empowering
Compassionate leadership is an employee-first model, where everyone in the company is valued for their contributions. They invest time and attention into their staff and understand how their choices impact everyone. This style of leadership is very uplifting and empowers employees to communicate with one another, ideate, and pursue their own ambitions. Compassionate leaders have a much higher rate of staff retention.
While you are working on improving your leadership skills, consider adopting the traits of a compassionate leader. Compassion leaders maybe be focused primarily on their employees, but as a result, they get measurable results. The next time you’re in an interview, you’ll confidently be able to say “My leadership style is compassionate.”
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