Compassion and Power Can Coexist in Successful Leaders

Can power be a source of compassion? We’re so used to seeing bad behavior from people in power we’ve forgotten that real leaders also serve their subordinates. This is one of the reasons the Faas Foundation is partnering with the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence on the Emotion Revolution in the Workplace study—to help leaders use the tools of emotional intelligence to create psychologically healthy, safe and fair workplaces.

An insightful article in the New York Times, “When Power Makes Leaders More Sensitive,” by Matthew Hutson explores how leaders might avoid power’s often corrupting influence and instead become more sensitive to the needs of their employees.  According to recent studies, the key seems to be seeing power not as permission to do whatever you want, but rather as responsibility to take care of others.

There are ways to influence those in power to adopt the latter view, including reflecting on the use of power, being held accountable for the use of power, observing the generosity of other leaders, and having a feeling of belonging to the group. All of these factors take into account emotional intelligence, which can help leaders be kinder, more socially skilled and make more ethical decisions.

While I too often have to call out wrongdoers, power can also be a source of service and compassion. Former President Barack Obama comes to mind. And there is the work of TDIndustries in Dallas as well as the Conscious Capitalism movement. They prove that productivity and profitability aren’t in direct conflict taking care of your stakeholders.  They prove that business can be humane—and still flourish.

Andrew Faas is the author of From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire.

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A License to Exploit

The Trump administration seems to be taking a page out of the illusionist’s handbook as the president sends outrageous middle-of-the-night tweets about his predecessor to distract us from dismantling protections for American workers. The latest don’t-blink-or-you’ll-miss-it tactic was Congress lifting President Barack Obama’s executive order called the Fair Play and Safe Workplaces rule that kept companies with poor safety records from competing for government contracts if they didn’t agree to fix their problems first. This may seem like a sane provision to ensure the kind of psychologically healthy, safe and fair workplaces I wrote about in From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire. However, most Republicans in Congress didn’t agree—the executive order was overturned 49 to 48. It seems fairly certain that Trump will sign the repeal.

It’s additionally unsettling that Congress used the rarely invoked 1996 Congressional Review Act to eliminate it, meaning that it can be revoked with a simple majority vote and can’t be reinstated by executive order by another president—to be reinstated it would have to be passed by Congress as a law.

There’s no doubt why the Fair Play and Safe Workplaces rule was necessary. According to a staff report from the office of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), 66 of the government’s 100 largest contractors have violated federal wage and hour laws. In addition, a third of the largest OSHA penalties have been imposed on federal contractors. This affects a huge number of employees: The Washington Post estimates that companies with federal contracts employ 1 in 5 American workers. Clearly by fulfilling the wish list of private interests Congress has granted an open license to exploit working Americans—the very people Trump promised to champion while on the campaign trail.

And all of this is being done at breakneck speed and deflected by sleight of hand. What’s the rush? I suspect Trump and the Republicans are hurrying to fulfill their agenda before the American people rise up and put them out of power. We can only hope that happens before truly serious damage is done.

Photo credit: BIGSTOCK

Farewell to the Chief, Welcome to the Revolutionist

Each week we choose a Revolutionist of the Week. This week we can’t think of anyone more deserving that outgoing President Barack Obama.

President Obama’s farewell address included everything we’ve come to expect from the man—grace, class, dignity, intelligence, insight, genuine emotion, inspiration and brilliant articulation. But what was most striking for me was his call to action. My work is dedicated to being a revolutionist for psychologically healthy, safe and fair workplaces, which I believe will have a positive effect on all aspects of our lives. In Obama’s farewell address, I recognized a fellow revolutionist with a powerful message—as citizens we have the ability, and even the duty, to become revolutionists for change.

I define “revolutionist” as someone who influences actions to preserve, protect and advance the human rights of others. As he made clear in his address, this is Obama’s mission as well. I recognize the same imperative that motivated to write my new book, From Bully to Bull’s-Eye, to claim the rights and dignity they deserve.

Obama spoke about hope and possibility, something that we cannot function without, but he didn’t shy away from harsh reality. This is the voice of a revolutionist, someone committed to facing and understanding the facts but equally dedicated to working for change. I look forward to seeing what Barack Obama, private citizen, does in his next phase as a revolutionist. And I echo his call that no individual can do this alone, but together we can resist the threats to democracy and work toward positive change. 

Credit: Photo KABC-TV