It’s another true confession time. The penny dropped when I recently interviewed my latest guest about Compassion in the workspace.
For years, I have bragged about improving a business’s net income before taxes from 8% to 35% of revenue in three years. YES, that was definitely significant, and no, I didn’t cut people, chop expenses or ‘find’ hidden opportunities. I used just one thing.
I mixed a huge dose of Compassion into everything I asked of the team. The reason the penny dropped was because I learned that had I upped my Compassion quotient a little more, I could have easily moved that 35% to 50%!!!! YIKES.
How can Compassion lead to such a dramatic increase? PLUS, it is not just about in our professional lives. It’s also about our personal lives too.
Have you ever felt a tug at your heart when seeing someone struggle? That’s Compassion calling. That warm feeling connects us to others’ pain and moves us to help. Far from being just a lovely sentiment, Compassion is one of our greatest human superpowers – and one we could all use a little more of.
What Is Compassion?
Compassion literally means “to suffer with.” It’s what happens when we notice someone’s pain, feel moved by it, and want to do something about it. It’s not just feeling bad for people – it’s feeling with them and then taking action.
Unlike pity (which looks down on others) or pure empathy (which can drain us), Compassion recognizes our shared humanity while maintaining enough healthy distance to help effectively. Think of it as the perfect balance between caring deeply and staying strong enough to make a difference.
Compassion is not a trait reserved for a select few. We are all inherently wired for Compassion. You can see it in how toddlers instinctively try to comfort others or how we wince when someone gets hurt. This universal capacity helped our ancestors survive by building cooperative communities where people looked out for each other. Compassion is a language that transcends borders and connects us all.
Why We Struggle to Be Compassionate
If Compassion comes naturally, why is it sometimes so hard to practice? For starters, we’re busy and stressed! When we’re overwhelmed with our problems, making space for others’ needs is challenging.
Our culture doesn’t always help, either. We live in a world that often celebrates competition over cooperation and individual success over community well-being. Messages bombard us daily, suggesting that looking out for number one is the path to happiness.
Then there’s the discomfort factor. Opening ourselves to others’ suffering can feel vulnerable or overwhelming. Scrolling past sad news or changing the channel is more manageable than letting it in. Plus, we’re more likely to feel Compassion for people who seem similar to us, creating blind spots toward those who appear different.
And let’s be honest – sometimes we don’t know what to do with our compassionate feelings. When problems seem big and complex, we might think, “What difference can I possibly make?” and give up before trying.
Compassion vs. Empathy: What’s the Difference?
People often confuse compassion with empathy, but understanding the difference can save us much emotional burnout.
Empathy is feeling what another person feels – if they’re anxious, you become anxious too. While this deep connection is important, it can leave us emotionally drained. Have you ever noticed how exhausting it is to spend time with someone struggling? That’s empathy fatigue.
Compassion, on the other hand, is like empathy with healthy boundaries. You care deeply about the person’s suffering without taking it all on yourself. Instead of mirroring their distress, you maintain the emotional stability to actually help them. Research shows that while empathy activates our brain’s pain centers, Compassion activates areas associated with caregiving and positive emotions. No wonder compassionate people report feeling energized rather than depleted by helping others!
Three Simple Ways to Grow Your Compassion
- Practice the Pause
The simplest way to grow Compassion is to pause before reacting. When someone cuts you off in traffic, your first instinct might be frustration. But what if you paused and wondered, “Maybe they’re rushing to the hospital” or “Maybe they’re having the worst day of their life”?
Try this: Set a daily reminder to take three deep breaths at key moments – before responding to emails, entering your home, or scrolling social media. This tiny practice creates space to choose Compassion rather than autopilot reactions.
- Get Curious About Others’ Stories
Judgment is compassion’s biggest enemy. When we label someone as “wrong,” “lazy,” or “difficult,” we close the door to understanding. Curiosity opens it back up.
Next time you encounter someone with different views or behaviours that puzzle you, ask yourself: “I wonder what experiences led them here?” or “What might this look like from their perspective?” Better yet, ask them directly about their story when appropriate.
This works wonders in both personal relationships and work environments. Instead of assuming your teenager or coworker is being difficult on purpose, get curious about what might be happening beneath the surface.
- Start Small and Specific
Trying to solve all the world’s problems leads straight to compassion fatigue. Instead, you can start with one person or issue where you can make a tangible difference.
Maybe it’s checking in regularly on an elderly neighbour, mentoring a young person in your field, or volunteering monthly at a local organization. These specific commitments build your Compassion muscles gradually without overwhelming you.
In workplaces, this might mean championing one specific policy change that supports well-being, such as flexible work hours or mental health days, or simply being the person who remembers birthdays and life events. Small acts of Compassion ripple outward in ways we rarely see, fostering a more supportive and inclusive culture.
The Compassion Bonus
Compassion is not just a nice sentiment; it’s a powerful force that can transform lives and change the world. It’s a beautiful secret that Compassion benefits both the receiver and the giver. Research shows that compassionate people experience less stress, stronger immune systems, and greater happiness. Compassion gives our lives meaning and purpose by connecting us to something larger than ourselves. It’s a force that can bring about positive change and inspire hope in a world that often feels overwhelming.
Growing our Compassion isn’t just nice – it’s necessary in a world that often feels divided and harsh. We can create a more compassionate world in which we all secretly wish to live with one conversation, one decision, and one action at a time.
And it starts with you and me right now, precisely as we are. We have the power to make a difference and bring more Compassion into our lives and the lives of those around us. Yes, it’s a responsibility. But it’s also an opportunity for growth and connection.