10 things compassionate leaders do to be

successful.
 Published on May 15, 2019

Steve Wohlenhaus
CEO at Weatherology
37 articles Follow

“Outstanding leaders go out of the way to boost the self-

esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s
amazing what they can accomplish.” – Sam Walton, founder
of Walmart and Sam’s Club
There is a common misconception in business that being a jerk is synonymous with being
successful. The common belief, nice people finish last.
Many people assume being calloused and abrasive are essential leadership qualities for earning
respect and getting results.

Being “nice” is the equivalent of "appearing" weak. As a result, we celebrate leaders that exhibit
caustic behavior. Humiliation and being manipulative are often the weapons they utilize to
obviate the will of their subordinates, and many people admire this style of intimidation.

“Of all the things I’ve done, the most vital is coordinating
those who work with me and aiming their efforts at a certain
goal.” – Walt Disney, founder of Disney
Recent research shows that overly tough bosses create significant health and motivational
problems for employees.

A University of London study found a strong correlation between heart disease and boss-
inflicted stress. A University of Concordia study found that employees who rate themselves as
“highly anxious” increased health care costs by 46%!

Research from the Institute of Naval Medicine also discovered difficult bosses caused people to
seek jobs elsewhere and induced lower performance levels.

A survey from Randstad Consulting showed most employees would exchange a salary increase
for a better boss. As we know, people don’t leave jobs; they leave
bad bosses.
Compassionate bosses don’t just prevent health and motivational issues; they create massive
benefits difficult bosses don’t.

A California State Long Beach study found that leaders who treat their teams fairly have far
more cohesive and productive teams and enhance performance.

Research from the University of Virginia found that leaders who were considered “self-
sacrificing” and “helpful” were viewed as especially inspirational and motivational and their
employees were more helpful toward colleagues and more committed to team success.

So, what exactly does a “NICE” boss look like without becoming a push over?

Here are 10 qualities that set NICE bosses apart:

“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the

right things.” – Peter F. Drucker, author and educator
They’re kind without being weak. Being kind is very different than being
pretentious. Walking around showering people with disingenuous praise, then withholding the
truth isn’t nice. It’s dishonest. Being tough requires telling the truth. Being compassionate
requires being human when necessary. Avoiding difficult conversations is weak. Being nice only
when you have something to gain erodes credibility.

They’re strong without being harsh. Strong leaders earn respect. People often wait to
see if a leader is strong before they decide to follow his or her lead. People seek courage in their
leaders. They desire someone that can make difficult decisions. They crave a leader who will
forge ahead even when things get tough. People grow stronger when leaders exhibit strength.

"Strength isn’t force; it’s something you earn in the face of adversity". (Steve Wohlenhaus) Once
people trust you, they will follow you.
They’re confident, not cocky. We gravitate toward confidence. Confidence is
contagious, and it helps us believe positive things will happen. Unfortunately, many leaders are
simply arrogant. They cover up insecurities will bravado and hype. Arrogance is superficial and
unappealing. Confidence creates trust and a sense of reassurance that everything will be ok.

“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we

can catch excellence.” – Vince Lombardi, legendary Green
Bay Packers coach

They stay optimistic and realistic. Maintaining balance between being optimistic and
being realistic isn’t always easy. Let’s assume three people are on a small boat after their ship
just sank. A pessimist. An optimist and a great leader. When things aren’t going well the
pessimist gives up and complains about their inevitable demise. The optimistic becomes the
consummate cheerleader but lacks the leadership skills required to improve the situation. The
great leader is optimistic but immediately institutes a plan to ensure the survival of everyone on
board.
They’re great at modeling great behavior, not preaching about it. I see
plenty of people in leadership positions profess their tremendous character. When tested, their
character fails. Professing great character is very different than modeling it. Great leaders earn
trust and admiration through their actions, which consistently illustrate their values.

They’re always willing to put people first. The best leaders put people first. They
don’t build billion-dollar businesses and dismiss the value of people in the process. (A common
practice in business today). They don’t assign blame and avoid criticism. They back people up
and offer all the support necessary to implement big decisions. Great leaders welcome open
dialogue and elicit feedback from everyone. People are never afraid to speak up when great
leaders are in the room.

They maintain balance between work, fun and family. There are plenty of
leaders that excel at having fun. However, they lack discipline and balance. They are a train
wreck waiting to happen. There are also plenty of leaders that are far too serious. Levity is
lacking and people feel it. The atmosphere is heavy when dull leaders occupy a room. A person
that maintains balance is inspirational, fun and decisive. Their life is an inspiration!
They form personal connections. Kind leaders can make everyone feel good. They
have emotional intelligence and relate to everyone on an individual level. They appreciate that
being human is ok and they accept human fallibility. They command respect and reciprocate by
respecting everyone. They value people and work hard toward earning trust by establishing
strong connections.

They offer astute feedback. Great leaders are remarkable communicators. They are
considerate and inspire respect. Leaders who are kind know how to consider the feelings and
perspectives of everyone while still providing a dedicated plan for improvement, progress and
results.

They’re assiduous. Great leaders are generous. They understand intrinsic motivation and
offer accolades and rewards that make an impact on each person on their team. They genuinely
care about people and take the time to recognize what motivates each person. They share success
unselfishly.

“We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the
power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power
to imagine better.” – J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter
series

Sum it up
NICE leaders have a variety of talents that "come together" in the ideal combination. Focus on
improving your ability to "really" relate to people, and you will see improvement in how people
respond to your leadership efforts.

Does being "nice" in the workplace pay? Please like and share
this article and leave your thoughts in the comments section
below. Tag some people that deserve some appreciation. I
love learning from you. Oh, and follow me on LinkedIn. . .
Steve Wohlenhaus CEO Weatherology Author & podcast host Anatomy of Success.