Mother Teresa said, in “No Greater Love” (2016), “In order for us to be able to love, we need to have faith, because faith is love in action and love in action is service. In order for us to be able to love, we have to see and touch. Faith in action through prayer, faith in action through service: each is the same thing, the same love, the same compassion.”
Compassion goes beyond empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand and to share the feelings of another person. Compassion adds an urgent desire to do something to help. It goes beyond the recognition of someone’s pain and suffering, to providing care or assistance. Compassion is action.
Compassion requires us to shift our focus from ourselves to others. This is not natural because we are born selfish. It is through spiritual growth and maturity that we have the capacity to practice compassion.
There is a list of workplace benefits of practicing compassion in the Character Core Magazine this month that includes:
- Enhanced Team Dynamics
Overall morale and productivity improve when employees feel supported and valued. - Improved Mental Health
Acts of compassion buffer against stress and reduce burnout. These protections may be observed in reduced absenteeism and higher employee retention rates. - Boosted Creativity and Innovation
Employees are more likely to express ideas that are outside the normal box when they are in a safe, caring environment. - Increased Customer Satisfaction
Acts of compassion are contagious. Employees who have experienced compassion in the workplace are more likely to extend the same courtesy to customers. - Greater Organizational Resilience
Compassionate cultures encourage empathy for others and allows teams to adapt and overcome challenges.
The actions we take to serve others do not have to be grand initiatives. In fact, the little things done with love are more important. As leaders, it is important to remember that expressing compassion for those we work with and for those we serve results in better relationships.
(The highest level of compassion is for those who have done us wrong.)
