{"id":349,"date":"2022-10-17T08:54:22","date_gmt":"2022-10-17T08:54:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/logosscotland.org\/?p=349"},"modified":"2026-01-06T10:37:07","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T10:37:07","slug":"what-would-jesus-do-how-compassionate-leadership-can-make-us-better-leaders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/logosscotland.org\/?p=349","title":{"rendered":"What Would Jesus Do? How compassionate leadership can make us better leaders"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n

It has been argued that the job of any leader is to effectively direct their own, their staff and their organisation’s attention towards a shared goal (Goleman, 2013). However, in this article, I will argue that when leaders do not direct this attention with compassion, the organisation, its people, and society suffer. Firstly, this article will discuss Capano\u2019s (2019) five basic principles of effective leadership. Secondly, understanding of mental health among leaders will be explored to understand its impact on individual, organisational and economic well-being. Finally, the case for compassionate leadership is extended by comparing Collins and Eckert\u2019s (2017) four principles of compassionate leadership with the teachings of Jesus Christ. His capacity for compassionate leadership is well documented throughout the Christian Bible.<\/p>\n

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Capano proposes a model that describes five basic principles of effective leadership. She argues that the job of an effective leader is to create a shared vision, ensure alignment between vision and team members, create a positive culture, communicate well and be people-focused and customer-centric. (Capano, 2019). Furthermore, the NHS Leadership Academy states that creating a shared vision is important because it inspires hope in colleagues and helps them see how their work fits into an organisation’s overall objectives (NHS Leadership Academy, 2022). To ensure alignment between people and vision, it is necessary to ensure that the leadership team understand an organisation\u2019s raison d\u2019etre<\/em>. Without such alignment and explicit communication of purpose, employees receive mixed messages, which can negatively impact organisational culture (Gleeson, 2016). Therefore, strong leadership and a strong culture can improve organisational outcomes (Groysberg et. al, 2018). Research suggests that climbing up the corporate ladder can negatively impact leaders’ ability to connect with people personally, which can have implications for harnessing talent and getting the best out of subordinate employees. Therefore, an awareness of this and deliberately shifting attention to those employees can ensure that leadership (and the organisation) remain people focussed. (Goleman, 2013).<\/p>\n

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Leaders should focus on employee mental health and well-being through the lens of compassion. According to Carucci (2022), mental health is having its \u2018long-overdue\u2019 moment in the workplace. This view is especially relevant for leaders, given that a recent study conducted by Sa\u00efd Business School at the University of Oxford found that happy workers are 13% more productive (Sa\u00efd Business School, 2019). Moreover, it has been found that grief costs the UK Economy \u00a323bn in Gross Value Added (GVA) (Sue Ryder, 2021). However, further evidence demonstrates that compassionate<\/em> leadership leads to higher employee motivation and engagement (West 2021). According to the Oxford English Dictionary, compassion comes from the ecclesiastical Latin stem compati<\/em>, or to “suffer with” (Rynes et. al, 2012).  It is understood to have four qualities: attending, understanding, empathising and helping (Atkins and Parker 2012). Leaders have expressed concern that compassionate leadership may negatively impact the bottom line. Evidence suggests, however, that understanding employee mental health can help leaders effectively manage the [often competing] priorities of driving performance, ensuring optimum levels of employee productivity, and maintaining staff wellbeing. So, when leaders support their employees from a place of compassion; it benefits staff well-being, the economy, and the bottom line! For Christians, this position is supported by Psalm 22:24; \u201cfor he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.\u201d The key phrase in this verse is \u2018to listen.\u2019 As Christian leaders, we are being directed by God to listen and bear witness to the pain and suffering of our employees. We are therefore called to exemplify \u201ccompassionate leadership\u201d.<\/p>\n

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A compassionate model of leadership can also create more innovative organisations. Collins and Eckert (2017) identified that leaders should nurture four cultural elements to drive innovation. These are:<\/p>\n

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