# Book Notes: Compassionate Leadership by Rasmus Hoegaard and Jacqueline Carter #readingstatus/read Kindle Highlights: [[Highlights - Compassionate Leadership]] | Legend | | :--------------------------------------------------: | | *text in italics are my thoughts/reflections* | | normal text like this are notes as I read the book | --- ## Summary ### One Sentence Summary *Compassionate Leadership is about exercise Wise Compassion - A combination of being aware of the situation and also making decisions that are truly intended to benefit others.* ### 3 Key Ideas 1. *There is a difference between Empathy and Compassion* 2. *Being Self-Aware is important to being able to determine when we are pandering to our ego and when we may be going to the other extreme of not being able to be objective* 3. *A culture of compassionate leadership must start from the top - only when the leadership team demonstrates these values and principles will the rest of the company have the confidence and assurance that they too can act in the same way.* ### 3 Frameworks 1. The [[Wise Compassion Matrix]] 2. The [[Wise Compassion Flywheel]] 3. [[Distinction between Pity, Sympathy, Empathy and Compassion]] ### Where & How To Implement in Life *The book made me more aware of the 'empathy trap' where I could find myself empathising too much in an individual(or a group of them) and, in the spirit of not wanting to harm, take inaction which then harms even more people.* *I intend to incorporate the wise-compassion matrix as something I ask myself when I need to make decisions so that I make them from a Quadrant 2 position as much as possible even though I may feel like being in Quadrant 1 or 4* *I also want to be more mindful of my own thoughts and be realistic about when I can actually exercise compassion vs when I can only sympathise/empathise/pity. For example, in formulating a 'response' to the increasing number of global conflicts, I must accept that sometimes I cannot take any reasonable/meaningful action as an individual and to expect myself to be able to take a compassionate action would only result in frustration. In such cases, I should be realistic and perhaps take a more sympathetic/empathetic approach.* ### Topics to Explore Next - [ ] - [ ] - [ ] ## Memorable Stuff ### Best Quotes >[!quote] Management Vs Leadership >Nhlamu’s comments point to a foundational truth about the difference between management and leadership. Management is about managing others. Leadership is about seeing and hearing others, setting a direction, and then letting go of managing what happens next. If you want to be a good leader, there are a few things you need to understand: First, nobody wants to be managed. Second, who you are is more important than how smart you are. And last, leadership is all about developing and enabling meaningful and trusting human relationships. (Page 18) >[!quote] On Purpose >A company’s purpose is its north star, its everlasting beacon that directs decisions for the long- term, greater good. But in focusing on the greater good, short- term, individual needs often must be sacrificed. And therein lies the eternal tension for any leader and any company— balancing the long- term needs of the company with the short- term, individual needs of people. By aligning your decision with your company’s purpose you can guide your decision and secure greater buy- in from others. (Page 47) >[!quote] On The Loneliness of Leadership >To be successful as leaders, it is important that we have people we can share things with. For many of the leaders we spoke with, the person they engaged to overcome the sense of loneliness and isolation was their partner or spouse. But it could also be a peer, a close friend, or a trusted colleague. The key is to recognize the reality of the natural loneliness that comes with the role and ensure you have someone you can talk to and feel a sense of true connection. In this light, it is not surprising that research finds that many successful and high achievers tend to have higher levels of social support from various relationships. They’re high achievers in the first place because they make sure they aren’t alone in achieving those milestones. Being successful and performing well in one’s life or profession isn’t a lone wolf thing. It takes the tribe around you to build your strength and motivation to pursue future successes. (Page 73) ### Unexpected Intersections - *There was overlaps into things like meditation as a means of achieving higher self-awareness* ## Thoughts *I quite enjoyed the book because it had a lot of actionable advice. Quite a straightforward read.* ## Books Mentioned - [[The Fearless Organization by Amy C Edmondson]] - [[Survival of The Friendliest by Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods]] - [[Against Empathy by Paul Bloom]] - [[One Second Ahead by Rasmus Hougaard, Jacqueline Carter and Gillian Coutts]] - [[The Mind of the Leader by Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter]] - [[Great at Work by Morten T. Hansen]] - [[Great by Choice by Morten T. Hansen]] - [[Danger in the Comfort Zone by Judith M. Bardwick]] - [[The Culture Map by Erin Meyer]] - [[Human + Machine by Paul R. Daugherty and H. James Wilson]] - [[Good to Great by Jim Collins]] ## Post-Read Admin (remove this section when done) - [ ] Does this book make it into [[Preparatory Reading Lists]] ? - [ ] Is there anyone you should recommend this book to now? - Possibly because of a present challenge/interest --- Date Created: [[ 2024-02-14 |14th February 2024 ]] @ 2.26pm related: