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Compassionate Leadership Is Necessary — but Not Sufficient

Target Audience
Engineering ManagerDirector of EngineeringCTO / VP Engineering
Type
Article
Link
https://hbr.org/2020/12/compassionate-leadership-is-necessary-but-not-sufficient?utm_campaign=hbr&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social
Date Added
Dec 5, 2020 9:25 AM
Language
English
AI summary

Compassionate leadership is essential but insufficient for effective management. While leaders must exhibit empathy and understanding, they also need to establish clear expectations and accountability to drive organizational success. For example, compassionate leaders who fail to set boundaries may inadvertently enable poor performance among team members. Key Points: - Compassionate leadership fosters a supportive work environment. - Empathy alone does not replace the need for accountability. - Leaders must balance emotional intelligence with clear performance metrics. - Effective management requires both compassion and structured guidance. - Organizations benefit from leaders who can integrate care with decisiveness.

Why it matters for leaders?

This article highlights the importance of compassionate leadership in addressing the challenges faced by engineering leaders, such as team morale and retention. An actionable takeaway is to prioritize empathy and understanding in leadership practices to create a supportive work environment that fosters innovation and collaboration.