Leading With Compassion by Stephanie

Leading With Compassion by Stephanie - December 2021 Scholarship Essay

Some leaders are micro-managers who lead with dominance and fear, while others are shepherds who lead with a velvet glove. Whether the leader is the pastor of a church or the manager of a team, the key to their success is compassion.

Having compassion is the acknowledgement that everyone is a person, and everyone has problems. Using compassion through interacting and listening creates a greater bond between a leader and a follower. It helps the leader better understand and adapt to their follower, and it makes the follower more likely to listen to the leader.

In my past, I had a difficult time when I was helping my terminally ill husband as he was in and out of the hospital and medical treatments. My manager at the time listened to my issues and showed compassion, giving me a more flexible schedule, allowing me to work remotely, and adapting my duties to fit the situation. This allowed me more time to balance my work and personal life and made me a better employee with more loyalty once I was through my rough patch.

While common adjectives for leader include strong, brave, assertive, and hard working, the most important adjective should be compassionate.