Compassion is not a virtue – it is a commitment. It’s not something we have or don’t have – it’s something we choose to practice.

Research shows that compassion gets embedded in an organisation when there is buy-in and modelling from the top. Positive emotion in leaders is associated with more positive emotion in staff, enhanced team performance and higher rates of prosocial behaviour. And, when nurses are spoken to harshly, for example, by a supervisor, this affects their subsequent interaction with patients over the course of a day. So, it’s no exaggeration to say that compassion demonstrated by leaders will have a significant effect on a patient’s experience and outcomes.

In the course, we focus on cultivating self-compassion and what it means to be a compassionate leader. The course draws on mindfulness practice, research and the recognition that our vulnerability as humans allow us to connect, listen to the challenges of others and be helpful. At the heart of compassionate leadership is understanding the difficulties staff experience, through collaboration and fostering collective responsibility for complex challenges.