Self-compassion will make you a better leader

It’s understandable for a leader to get caught up in fear, doubt, and criticism when facing critical business decisions that will have a major impact on lives and livelihoods. But what’s needed in times of uncertainty and disruption is mental clarity, emotional balance, fortitude, and vision. To move from self-doubt and paralysis to clarity and action, you need an often-misunderstood skill: self-compassion.

First, it’s useful to accurately understand self-compassion. Put simply, it means taking a perspective toward yourself as you would with a friend or colleague who is facing a setback or challenge. It’s a skill that is simple, but it’s surprisingly difficult for many of us.

There are three core elements to self-compassion: self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness. Many mistakenly avoid self-compassion, believing that it means being easy on yourself and will lead to being complacent. But self-compassion in fact is the foundation for resilience and helps you develop the courage to face hard challenges. In taking a constructive – rather than critical or harsh – attitude toward efforts as a leader, you build your capacity to navigate challenges and unpredictability.

Benefits of building self-compassion:

• Emotional intelligence

• Resilience

• Growth mindset

• Integrity

• Compassion toward others

Self-compassion practical methods:

1. Practice at the moment:

Squeezing 5 – 20 seconds to take deep breaths and connect self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness.

2. 9 minutes each day meditating on self-compassion:

By dedicating regularly to build capacity for self-compassion, we’re training the brain to incline towards self-kindness making it an easier and more habitual response when things are tough.

3. Shift your mindset:

Try out writing exerciseS to similarly shift your mindset. Daft and encouraging letter to yourself from your inner compassionate voice. After that, please listen to the advice of a professional surviving your soul.