Versatility Vs Vulnerability: the dualisms of compassionate leadership

Historically, care and empathy have been ascribed to personalities that follow and nurture rather than those that lead and establish. This distinction between ‘hunter and gatherer’, or, more contemporarily, between ‘leader and follower’ is not as clear cut as typically assumed. In fact, history teaches us that the hunter and gatherer distinction was not a dichotomy, rather individuals took part in both hunting and gathering activities. If this is applied to compassionate leadership, we can find that leading and following is not mutually exclusive.

The King’s Trust rightly dispel the myths of compassionate leadership. These myths understand compassionate leadership to perpetuate injustices (opens new window) by appeasing all and producing consensus at the expense of high standards and tough performance management. My experience over the last year, on the Housing LIN's Future Leaders Programme and as a then Policy Executive at Foundations has dispelled these myths further.

When I joined the Future Leaders’ Programme, I was starting my career in Policy and studying Peace & Conflict - learning of the robust masculine personalities that have notoriously secured the nation state. Not long after joining the Future Leaders Programme and, in the meantime developing within Foundations, did I realise that the key to successful leadership was quite the contrary. Engaging on the Programme with leaders at various stages in their careers, as well as with fellow ‘Future Leaders,’ contributed to this realisation.

Throughout the Programme, it became apparent that my own unease in developing as a leader was shared by my fellow cohort. As we reflected on good and bad leadership over sandwiches in the Housing 21 Head Office, our idealised vision of leadership became apparent. Looking at those who lead us, whether politically, or in workplaces – the leaders we were inspired by, (the leaders who led well), were those open to change and understanding people (these two attributes often came hand in hand).

At the beating heart of this leadership though, was compassion. Rationally acting on emotions to promote change we realised was not a juxtaposition, rather symbolic to versatile leadership. Dispelling these myths around compassionate leadership further still, were the various inspirational speakers throughout the programme who embodied this perfect-balance leadership. Informative, interesting, and interested, these incredible individuals epitomised successful leadership.

To put it bluntly, working in a sector that is, at its core, for people, requires acting like a person. What I mean by that, is that the myth of being ‘too nice and letting people walk all over you’ attached to compassionate leadership dissipates upon the realisation that this compassion turns the wheels of housing, health, and social care. Whether its increasing discussions around men’s mental health, the fluidity of individuals’ identities or other marginalised voices, an act of emotion is an act of empowerment, and the versatility / vulnerability balance is not a tightrope. Instead, it is reflective of progressive and effective leadership critical to delivering change.

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Yasmeen’s blog is one of 7 from the 2nd cohort of the Housing LIN’s Future Leaders’ Programme that we are publishing in the lead up to our virtual Summit – A Festival of Ideas and the virtual session on Tuesday, 28 February 2023 (2.30-4pm). Register now for Inspiring young talent: investing in our future housing and care leaders

Find out more about Housing LIN’s Future Leaders’ Programme and read the other blogs once published.