Compassionate Leadership is the Future

Article written by Krishna Kumar

What is the future of coaching as we fast forward through every year, every decade in the twenty-first century? Can coaching bring the much-needed leadership in a troubled world? In a world that has always seen troubled times, what is the differentiator now?

Today, it is unfortunate that we find global leadership that defines a future where nations are connected by barriers rather than bridges, whose limiting beliefs cloud the glorious opportunities that technology and space have on offer and who prefer to choose the path of confrontation over compassion.

The Dalai Lama said, "Compassion is the radicalism of our time." The quality of compassion has been emphasized by every spiritual leader and philosopher over the ages but rarely practiced.

A simplified definition of compassion is what happens when you encounter another person suffering, go beyond your feelings of empathy or altruism, and step forward to help alleviate that suffering. Interestingly, it is a topic that is now being actively?researched in-depth by psychologists and neuroscientists around the world. Information about compassion is widely available in numerous research papers on the ‘science of well-being and happiness’ (positive psychology), presentations made at global conferences and work by leading Universities (Stanford, Berkeley). They add to the wealth of wisdom passed down through the ages by spiritual leaders and philosophers from the East and the West, providing us with an eclectic mix to devour, develop and act upon.?

Practicing compassion has deep connections with training in mindfulness and meditation. It is proven method to foster cooperative learning in schools by encouraging cooperation over competition. If coaching is to provide a new form of leadership then it will need to explore beyond the present framework of models derived from the fields of positive psychology, philosophy, spirituality and so on. While all these subjects offer tremendous insights, the challenges of the future will require us to go deeper than the usual 'emotional intelligence' traits of learning empathy, love and kindness and expand our coaching skills by introducing the elements of compassion. To illustrate, in coaching conversations we often need to navigate through a complex web of perceptions that our client has shared, which when it clashes with our own might defeat the traditional listening techniques. On such occasions, the famous Buddhist monk, Thich Naht Hanh, mentions using compassionate deep listening to work through another person’s perceptions and help them find resolution and healing.

As coaches we have the power to influence ourselves, our clients and the social environment around us by adopting and applying our moral rudder of compassion. What is this moral rudder and how might an individual apply it?

Science shows us that a small rudder at the end of a huge ship has the power to move vast amounts of water and steer the craft. At the end of the rubber, we have an even smaller 'trim tab' that is used by the Captain to steer the rudder. Coaches of the future, acting as trim tabs, have the opportunity and ability to introduce compassion and bring about positive changes in society.?

Coaching will then be perfectly poised to offer "Compassionate Leadership" to a turbulent world.?

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Author:?A pioneer in the sphere of Leadership and Executive Coaching in India, Krishna Kumar is also presently the global President and a Member on the Governing Board of the International Association of Coaching (IAC). The firm belief that coaching is enlightening, transformational, at times magical, almost always healing and possessing the power to build a healthier and harmonious society has carried him through a diverse and continuing learning journey over three decades where he has donned the hats of a senior corporate executive, an entrepreneur, a master tennis coaching professional, a B-school professor, independent Board member and as a Leadership and Executive Coach. The Founder Director of the Intrad School of Executive Coaching (ISEC) his clientele includes senior executives and managers in global firms like Oracle, CISCO, TESCO, Boeing, Infosys, WIPRO, Robert Bosch, Polo Ralph Lauren, Legal & General (UK), Decathlon (France) and many others.