Being a compassionate leader

Wellbeing is a much-used phrase in the NHS, but what does it really mean? Having recently undertaken an in-depth review of a service, examining ‘how it feels to work around here’ I have gained insight into the themes that matter to people, to enable focused development work. During this time, the phrase ‘compassionate leadership’ has been frequently used. Massie (2016) reflected:

‘A compassionate leader is someone who uses a high level of self-awareness and emotional intelligence to truly listen to what people tell them, then responds with empathy and action that makes a positive difference.’

Massie (2016) found that compassionate leaders are attentive to the ‘here and now’, reflecting that this state of ‘mindfulness’ enables individuals to have awareness of the feelings and concerns of others that are left unspoken, enabling them to feel compassion and empathy.

In my experience, when compassionate leadership is present, this results in feelings of being valued, psychologically safe at work, and engaged with the wider purpose. We have observed, in well-documented healthcare scandals, that unhealthy working relationships at the most extreme, result in serious patient safety issues. Conversely, a well-led team is likely to result in a better patient experience. As one colleague said to me, ‘kinder care happens when kindness is afforded to staff’.