Today’s leaders are increasingly called upon to apply emotional intelligence skills to effectively address complex team and organizational dynamics. This month, we’re excited to share with you a recent article by Boda team member Chris Charyk, which presents the case for leaders cultivating compassion, a key component of emotional intelligence.
The Boda Team
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The Key to Success? Compassion
“A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassionto listen to the needs of others.” – General Douglas MacArthur
General MacArthur, the controversial military leader, may seem an unusual source for a quote on compassion and leadership. After all, this is the man who famously said that “in manners of war and peace, the military really knows best.”
But despite his frequent portrayal as a reactionary, MacArthur is now considered ahead of his time in many respects -including his claim that leadership should be rooted in compassion.
MacArthur’s emphasis on compassion as a key leadership competency is now entering the mainstream of contemporary leadership practice. In Good to Great, his groundbreaking book on high-performing organizations, Jim Collins determined that “the X-factor of great leadership is not personality, it’s humility.” He went on to explain that humility involves replacing personal ambition with a focus on the greater good of the leader’s organization.