Do you want your organisation to be a place that people want to come to work in and that clients love doing business with? Then, you need to have a think about compassion. Compassion in business can work miracles when it comes to energising everyone around you.
What is compassion?
Compassion at its base level is simply showing an interest in the people around you and having empathy and sympathy for their troubles. It also means taking action when you can to help alleviate those problems.
How do you integrate compassion into your business?
The good news is that it’s super easy to integrate compassion into your business, and we’ve got five simple steps to get you started:
1. Start with self-compassion
If you’re not kind to yourself, it’s impossible to be kind to others. This means letting go of perfectionist traits, people-pleasing traits, questions of worthiness, etc. Instead, you put yourself first and live authentically.
2. Invest in personal development
The more you value yourself and others for who you and they are, the easier it is to succeed. Paying for your own personal development and the development of others makes you better equipped to win each day.
3. Take a break
If you’re not feeling good about the world, change that. Either take a vacation or spend some time each day meditating. When you’re in harmony with the environment, it’s much easier to be nicer and kinder to others.
4. Share your journey
Find people around you that can relate to your journey and share the things that you find hard or unpleasant – and see what unfolds.
5. Be mindful
It’s almost a cliché now, but mindfulness is definitely a way to stay present and see yourself and others as you are, not as you might worry that they are.
Examples of how we can show more compassion in business
We’ve also got some examples of how you can be more compassionate both to yourself and to your staff and clients:
Be your own best friend
When you’re facing a big challenge, take a few seconds to think about how you’d tell your best friend about your hopes and fears right now, and try to reframe any negative thoughts.
You’re not ‘a loser’; you just haven’t done this before and are feeling a bit shaky.
Share your experiences
It’s easy to help others become more compassionate by sharing your journey with them and being vulnerable around them.
Diarise some self-care
You won’t be kinder to yourself unless you make time for it. Put aside some time each week, in a formal manner, just for you.
Learn to give and receive feedback
Giving feedback helps others grow, and receiving it helps you grow. Don’t treat it as a personal offence if you don’t like the feedback; learn from it instead.
Don’t project your beliefs and emotions on others
Everyone is unique; if you assume that others feel the same way you do, you’re denying yourself an opportunity to find out how they really feel.
Accept everyone for who they are
Don’t treat clients or staff as though they are something you must deal with; embrace them and enjoy the interactions. It is this expression of compassion that is the most powerful expression of them all.
Final thoughts on compassionate business
A compassionate business is a nicer business. A nice business is somewhere where people want to work and where clients want to spend their time and money. That’s why becoming more compassionate is an essential business skill.
In the long run, not only is it nicer, but it’s also more profitable, predictable, and pleasant.
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If you have any questions or feedback regarding this article, any of the issues it raises, or if you’d just like to get in touch to find out more about fulfilling your true potential I would love to hear from you.
