Why leaders must accept the challenge of Kindness and Compassion.

On the 22nd November 1963 the shocking assassination of President John F Kennedy in Dallas brought an abrupt and brutal end to a short and remarkable tenure of office for a brilliant young leader of the the United States of America.

Through his inspirational and tenacious approach to leadership, JFK achieved more in his 2 years 306 day tenure of office as President than many others have achieved before or after in much longer periods. 

His achievements need no full account but in that period he began the transformation of America’s view of race relations and inequality. Activated a world view of politics that allowed long term reforms and reductions in the threat of world annihilation through Nuclear holocaust. Transformed his countries view of how it should and could help the sick and vulnerable in society and inspired his nation to ultimately achieving the famous moon landings through the Apollo space program. Perhaps still the greatest single achievement of the human race in the modern era. All of these achievements, even today, have resonance and relevance and have helped shaped the future agenda of the world we live in. 

All of the above required huge strength, resilience and self belief to achieve. In all aspects he encountered and overcame massive resistance, skepticism and threat to achieve what he believed was the best future for the country he was so proud of. Arguably his stance and strength on these issues meant he paid the ultimate sacrifice far too quickly in life. His fire was extinguished much too early as a result of the tragic events of that day.

Yet for all these colossal achievements, he was an individual who was never afraid to show his tender side. He was a father who wrote personally to a young girl to reassure her that he would not allow Father Xmas to be killed through nuclear war. He was the brother that tirelessly promoted the rights and opportunities for the disabled because of his first hand family experience of his sister. He was the human being who wanted to help others around the globe less advantaged than himself. He created the voluntary peace corp, an organisation that even today is helping thousands of people around the world who live in poverty, and who face personal adversity. A man that never forgot the lessons of humanity that he got from his early years of life and then choose to apply his outstanding leadership skills in the pursuit of their deliverance.

His thoughts on kindness and compassion permeated through his vision and approach to decision making. In his moments of huge stress and pressure, of which there were many, far from shying away from the right calls, his view of people and humanity gave him the strength and fortitude to see these situations through to the outcome he felt was right.

If we want to see why kindness and compassion are characteristics of the strong then leaders can do much worse than study the methodology and work of John F Kennedy. There is much to be learnt from him, even today, on leadership.

Presidents of the USA face huge challenges and choices in approach, what they do can echo for an eternity for us all and at the very least for the next generation. Yet as leaders whilst our challenges are not all of that scale, our choices on approach are just as relevant and important to what we do. What guides our decision making principles is of crucial importance.

What is our view of kindness and compassion? Do we embrace it and it’s challenge? Or do we avoid it and hide behind the curtain of “it makes us to weak and ineffective.”

Far too often leaders are intimidated by the concepts of kindness and compassion. They are afraid that’s its application may make them look to soft or indecisive. They often get told that leadership is about tough decisions and choices and there is no place for Kindness and compassion if they want to progress or be effective. They are afraid of “How it might look.” and you have to be ruthless in this world to achieve..

Yet true leadership is not about image and the perception or the opinions of others as to what you do. It is about the impact and inspiration you can have on a fellow human being’s heart through your own actions and how you treat and engage others at a basic day to day level. How people receive the impact of your actions, big or small, is what defines the success of a leader in achieving their challenges ultimately. The opinions of others can be a good servant in reflecting on our performance as leaders - but it must never be our master.

We must also appreciate a fundamental reality of human nature. That we all like to be treated with kindness and compassion. We all like to be given a chance and treated as individuals and we all like our individual needs to be considered and catered for. When that is done in a genuine and heartfelt way the return we give is our loyalty and commitment - we start to go the extra mile. No other aspect of human nature will generate this response from a person as quickly or with sustained effectiveness. We should all expect to give the same levels of decency, kindness and fairness we expect to be afforded to ourselves in leadership or in life.

Leaders must overcome their inner insecurities about what other might think or perceive and be prepared to embrace the principles of kindness and compassion if they really want to inspire those they seek to influence.

Such an approach in no way stops us making the tough calls or the challenging decisions - in fact on the contrary - it means we ensure that all aspects are considered and factored when these decisions are made. It means we factor human impact and plan for it responses when we make such calls. Make decisions with clarity and precision, then implement them with compassion and pragmatism is a great mantra to adopt in any leadership approach. It is a mistake to believe that being kind means we cannot operate decisively or effectively - we most certainly can.

Furthermore, the most challenging environments can be created when people are recipients of kindness and compassion. That is because we can lay down the sternest challenges and people will adopt and accept them based on an intrinsic trust that they know they will be supported and helped when they reach for those highest branches of achievement - without fear of castigation or isolation if they fall. Colleagues do that bit extra for those who have genuinely supported them not those who let them fall by the wayside - they do not forget.

President Kennedy achieved what he did because he inspired a nation to believe he was truly listening to their needs and wanted to make a difference through actions based on kindness and a faith in the good of human nature. He was never afraid to talk and act based on the principles of kindness and compassion because of how “it might look.” As leaders in whatever we do we must also aspire to have the same approach. Inspire people through small acts of kindness and compassion whenever you can, always in a genuine and unconditional sense, and they will repay those acts many times over. Then challenge people to improve based on the commitment and belief that is engendered in you through such an approach, first as a human being, and then secondly as a leader who wants to make a difference with people alongside them. 

And never concern yourself with a perception of weakness, for the only real place weakness manifests itself is from within ourselves when we act in a way that compromises what we believe is the right set of values and the right approaches to achieve results. Kindness and Compassion must be embraced in leadership, for they show your inner strength and humanity not your weakness and insecurity.

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