“This book uses deep research to demonstrate that compassionate and wise leadership is not an alternative to a performance culture, but is a key accelerator of it.”
— Alan Jope, CEO, Unilever
“This book cracks the code on how to lead with both your heart and your mind.”
— Ellyn Shook, Chief Leadership & Human Resources Officer, Accenture
“It brings confidence, courage, and the peace of mind to enable a leader to be clear and decisive.”
— His Holiness Dalai Lama XIV
“Reading this book will help you understand how to lead, guided by a deep sense that human values are the primary objective.”
— Jesper Brodin, President and CEO, Ingka Group (formerly IKEA Group)
Become a Better Leader By Following the 4 Caring Steps From The Flywheel of Wise Compassion
Step 01
Caring Presence
To enter into difficult situations with others, we must start by being present. When we make the choice to “be here now”, we have a better chance of making a meaningful connection, and it is easier for us to bring wisdom and compassion to the table.
Step 02
Caring Courage
Courage is different from fearlessness. We still experience fear, but we find the inner strength to overcome fear and engage in a difficult situation. In this sense, courage is the willingness to move out of our comfort zones.
Step 03
Caring Candor
Being candid is about being direct and straightforward, and it is always faster. With caring candor, you deliver the message in the most kind and direct way, which allows for the other person to receive it quickly and for the real conversation to begin.
Step 04
Caring Transparency
Caring transparency means getting ideas and thoughts out in the open—to make the invisible visible. When we are transparent, people know where they stand and what comes next. Transparency makes people thrive because they know.
Rasmus Hougaard is the founder and CEO of leadership development and consulting firm Potential Project. He is a sought-after keynote speaker and coach of C-suite executives at top global companies. In 2019, he was shortlisted for the Thinkers50 Leadership Award, recognizing “thinkers who shed powerful and original new light onto this perennial and still vital subject.”
He writes for Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Business Insider and is the coauthor, with Jacqueline Carter, of The Mind of the Leader: How to Lead Yourself, Your People, and Your Organization for Extraordinary Results.
Jacqueline Carter
Jacqueline Carter is a partner and North American Director for Potential Project. She has over twenty years of experience helping leaders and organizations to manage change and achieve results. She is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and Leader to Leader.
She is the coauthor, with Rasmus Hougaard, of The Mind of the Leader: How to Lead Yourself, Your People, and Your Organization for Extraordinary Results.
Marissa Afton
Marissa Afton is a partner and head of global accounts. She joined Potential Project in 2015 because she is passionate about helping people to realize their full potential at work through better use of their brains, improved cognitions and enhanced focus, clarity and attention.
Her academic background in psychology plus a personal practice in mindfulness and mind training for more than 25 years allows her to bring all of her experiences in executive leadership training, mindfulness in the workplace, workshop facilitation, education, human capital and performance coaching to her role.
Moses Mohan
Moses Mohan is a partner and Global Head of Leadership Solutions. In his past lives, he advised leading financial services clients at McKinsey and Company and the Government of Singapore on industry transformation, coached entrepreneurs and leaders to live fearlessly from their highest potential, and cultivated inner leadership and mental clarity as a Zen Monk.
Research spanning 5,000 companies in nearly 100 countries
Based on interviews with 350 executives (predominantly CEOs and CHROs)
Examples from global companies like Accenture, IKEA, Cisco, Unilever, IBM and more
Book research suggests employee job satisfaction increases by 86%
Publisher
Harvard Business Review Press
Language
English
Print length
224 pages
Dimensions
6.06 X 9.29 X 1.02 inches | 1.0 pounds
Order The Book
Leadership is hard. How can you balance compassion for your people with effectiveness in getting the job done? A global pandemic, economic volatility, natural disaster, civil and political unrest. From New York to Barcelona to Hong Kong, it can feel as if the world as we know it is coming apart. Through it all, our spirit is being tested. Now more than ever, it's imperative for leaders to demonstrate compassion.
Interested in learning more? Our experts can introduce senior teams to the concepts of compassionate leadership through an in-house masterclass. We distill the findings from our in-depth research, explain the wise compassion matrix and the benefits of leading from the top right quadrant, and review the critical leadership attributes of courage, candor, presence, and transparency.
We regularly assemble some of the warmest, wisest leaders in the corporate world to share how they do hard things in a human way. And we bring surprising insights from our own research on the ingredients for great leadership. Explore our inspiring events and sign up for our newsletter to receive invitations.
With companies around the world, Potential Project helps individuals, leaders, and teams to unlock their potential. The potential for change, the potential for happiness, the potential for compassionate leadership…it’s all there waiting. Let’s be in touch.
