“Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It’s a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.” Pema Chodron

When you are in the field of emergency services, its generally understood that you are expected to show compassion to the patients and family members to which you are called to serve.  When you respond to their emergency, it is expected that you serve them to the very best of your abilities.  In situations where the emergency is “critical”, having compassion for them is relatively easy.  You can easily connect with a family member who has lost a loved one.  Its easy for you to feel compassionate for a family who has lost their home to fire.  In times like these it doesn’t take a lot to find the heart within yourself to feel their pain.

Frustration

However, it’s in the small, mundane calls where it can be challenging to find that connection which stimulates compassion for them.  When you respond to someone who has called 911 for the “umpteenth time” and everyone on-scene is frustrated with being there again can take the edge off your ability to feel for them.  It can be those frustrating times when you interact with care center staff that takes the edge off your ability to feel compassion for the patient as well.

Expect Compassion

What isn’t always a clear expectation is the extension of compassion to those inside of the station.  Just like responding to victims of critical patients, its easy to show compassion to co-workers who are experiencing life’s “big” challenges.  It’s not so easy to remember to show compassion to each other in the more mundane activity of simply doing life together.  You must remember that everyone is walking through some form of life challenge or another.

Intentionality

The intentional act of demonstrating compassion to those around you can certainly have a positive impact upon their ability to navigate whatever challenge they are going through.  Demonstrating compassion to one another serves to create an environment in which people feel safe and can reach their maximum potential.  Without that feeling of safety, people always revert back to a position of safety and avoid any level of risk that may hurt them further.

Your Responsibility

As a leader, it is your responsibility to create an environment in which the demonstration of compassion is an expected behavior.  You must be the one to set the example of what compassion looks like and how it is lived out.  Its also your responsibility to remove individuals who cannot, or will not, demonstrate compassion in the workplace.  Allowing these people to stay inside of your organization is comparable to allowing a cancer to exist inside of your body after diagnosis.

On the positive end of the spectrum you should absolutely celebrate the members of your team who demonstrate compassion.  You shining a spotlight on the positive behavior helps to show everyone on the team what expected behavior looks like.  The more you celebrate the behavior, the more others will want to step up and do the same.

Why?: Organizational and Personal Benefits

Being an organization known for it’s compassion has many benefits.  Some of the more obvious ones include:

·      Improved employee moral (mental wellness).

·      Reduced anxiety (mental wellness).

·      Reduced feelings of loneliness (mental wellness).

·      Increased feelings of connectedness (mental wellness).

Being a leader known for demonstrating compassion also has many benefits.  These include:

·      Sets you apart as a leader.

·      People trust you more.

·      Amplifies your influence.

·      Followers will give you grace when mistakes are made.

It doesn’t matter whether its an organization or an individual, the benefits of building compassion into your modus operandi far outweigh any perceived risk.  Sure, taking the time and making the effort to be compassionate is hard, but nobody ever said being a leader is easy.  Besides, it’s the right thing to do!

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” Ralph Waldo Emerson