Compassion maybe our answer

As I reflected on questions for this week, the thought that resonated with me was emphasizing the importance of compassion. How can we support students or foster trust…compassion.  I’m thinking about the world we live in with a global pandemic and the political situation. I get the feeling that It's crucial that we need teacher leaders that will exhibit compassion. I was reading a book by Bill George who notes that “leaders learn to accept their weaknesses, failures, and vulnerabilities, just as they appreciate their strengths and successes… they gain compassion for themselves and the ability to relate to the world around them in” (George,2018, p. 96). Compassion is the characteristic of having real concern for other individuals. As a leader and throughout the culture in an organization, this characteristic creates greater ties between people. It will enhance collaboration which in turn enhances the organization. Our "organization" the school system needs at Its core foundation compassion. Compassion means “listening more than talking. It also means suspending our agenda and being genuinely interested in others” (McKee & Massimilian, 2006). An individual or leader cannot actually help if they don’t understand the person they are trying to help. It’s literally as simple as that. We can fill in the missing holes with assumptions and to jump to conclusions without hearing the full story. While our motives maybe positive, not taking appropriate the time to dive deeper will result in incomplete information necessary to convey valuable advice. To understand, means to listen more than you speak. As the Dalai Lama says, “When we are motivated by compassion and wisdom, the results of our actions benefit everyone, not just our individual selves or some immediate convenience…” (Francis et al. 2019). Words we all should live by.      

References:  

Francis, A. P., Carter, M. A., & Nickson, A. M. (2019). Supervision and professional development in social work practice (first edition). Sage India.

George, B. (2018). Lead true - Bill George. Lead True: Authentic Leadership Rediscovered.Retrieved February 2, 2022, from https://www.billgeorge.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Bill-George-Lead-True-eBook.pdf    

McKee, A., & Massimilian, D. (2006). Resonant leadership: A new kind of leadership for the digital age. The Journal of Business Strategy, 27(5), 45-49. https://doi.org/10.1108/02756660610692707