Compassion Through the Chaos

The past year has been different and difficult for me personally and professionally…as I imagine it has been for many of you.

We are live-time reimagining what it means to “do life” and “go to work” as we balance our individual health, family, emotional and financial needs.

It’s just shy of a year since I’ve been in the office with my amazing colleagues and clients doing the work that fills me up. Even though I am able work remotely, I find it hard to find my rhythm and the same meaning.

This is even more true the last several months as I take care of a family member with a chronic illness that reared its head resulting in a surgery and extensive hospital stay.

Chaos seems to be all around, yet through everyday interactions with others – even virtual ones – I am reminded that compassion cultivates more connection within myself and others so my experience is more manageable…and even feels more calm.

What prompted this remembrance, was that during the hospital stay, I watched a 2016 interview (I know! I am behind the eight-ball!) with Jeff Weiner, former CEO of LinkedIn. The part that really resonated and helped me realign is the focus on compassion in his professional philosophy and the message that compassion builds better companies. 

Research has shown that compassion improves collaboration, raises levels of trust, and enhances loyalty… all things integral to a company’s success.

I’ve experienced compassion doing this first-hand. When I approach difficult things from a place of connection to my Inner Truth, which is rooted in love – of the agape variety – and compassion, the results are so much more effective and beneficial to all than coming at it from a place of criticism and indifference. This is poignantly true during crucial, difficult conversations.

And especially right now as I help my family member heal, when I ground first in love and compassion and make suggestions they are much more receptive than if I were to make them comply. 

So in this time of continuing uncertainty, I invite you to choose to cultivate more compassion within yourself and then extend it to others, especially bringing it into the workplace, to help create more connection, collaboration and calm.

1Rasmus Hougaard, Jacqueline Carter, and Nick Hobson, “Compassionate Leadership Is Necessary — but Not Sufficient,” Harvard Business Review, December, 4, 2020