Can She Practice What She Preaches?

True power is in how we treat ourselves and others.­
– Compassionate Management Principle #3 Own Your Power

It’s hard to stay with Compassionate Management in a volatile work or home environment.  And that’s when you need it the most.

I’ve been tested many a time in fear-based management environments and I can say with honesty that I’ve struggled to hold onto my very own Principles.  Years ago, I reacted to this environment at work by directly communicating my righteous indignation.  That, um, backfired.  In other words, I had to look for a new job.

I’ve since learned that Compassion helps, even in the most hostile environments.  It’s hard to stay with compassion because right next to it is anger, sadness, disbelief, fear, you-name-it.  But what’s amazing about compassion is that it gets bigger as you feel it, find it, give it.  Compassion grows as you need it.

You start by naming all that negative data and then you balance it with compassion.  It may feel foreign to do this, but you won’t hurt anyone and it may even make you feel better.

It’s quite comforting to hold Compassion for yourself and for those around you.  It gives you breathing room to think straight, to not take things personally and to see possibility where there was none just a moment ago.

Nobody starts out wanting to be a fear-based manager.  Most people want to do good work and be recognized for it.  But when they come from a place of insecurity and are treated disrespectfully from above, that combination is fuel for exponentially worse trickle down fear-based management.

Another factor to consider is that everyone is at a different place on the self-awareness spectrum.  It’s not our responsibility to tell them where or how they need to be; it’s their journey to take as they see fit.

It’s our responsibility to take care of ourselves, and compassion is the key.