Leaders and Pain
Throughout my career and in my personal life, I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter who or where you are, what you do or don’t have, or your status in the community — we all experience pain, suffering, or uncomfortable situations.
The most effective leaders can relate and show compassion for what others are suffering, even though they may not have experienced the same circumstances. They are able to find ways to relate, because pain is pain no matter what kind of pain it is.
Personally, I’ve faced homelessness and statelessness, gone from being broke to having money, and just about everything in between. I’ve been fortunate to be able to relate to all kinds of people with different kinds of pain.
As a leader, this ability allows you to find ways to connect with others who are facing pain or looking for solutions to their pain — especially in times of crisis like COVID. Finding ways to relate and connect with people is key for leaders of organizations and communities.
There are lots of ways to show compassion and relay that you understand that another person is experiencing pain, while also showing the need to get over and through the pain, or get to the next stage of it.
BEFORE YOU GO
We see our blogs as opportunities for dialogue. Please share your thoughts as comments.
- What can you do to show that you can relate to individuals in pain?
- How can you leverage your personal pain to connect with others without having to share your own journey?
- What other ways have you found to connect with people experiencing pain and looking to pass through it?
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Faris Alami is Founder and CEO of International Strategic Management, Inc. (ISM). He works internationally, presenting Exploring Entrepreneurship Workshops and other entrepreneurial ecosystem — related ventures.
#Leadership #pain #leadersandpain #farisalami
