I recently attended a Christmas play with our entire family, and I was once again struck by the age-old message of what it means to show compassion. Interestingly enough, Dickens’ story “A Christmas Carol,” is set in a business context. Many people spend more time with business associates than they do their families–all the more reason to address the culture and climate of the workplace. I hope you enjoy this week’s principle.

Compassion. While compassion is not typical business language or thinking, it is an essential quality for those firms who wish to properly steward the human resources under their care. Compassion, by the way, is not sentimentality, soft emotions, or strictly a feminine quality–it’s a way of operating in truth in our relationships. Compassion provides difficult feedback when necessary, encourages people when they lack heart and emotional energy, and it helps those who have needs. Compassion is always packaged with patience, and is the essence of wholesome influence skills. So how does this apply to managerial leaders? Remember that management means getting things done through the active support of others. An engaged team of people are require to achieve corporate goals. Imagine if you were a farmer and failed to feed or manage the health of your farm animals-what would happen to your farm? The same is true with people. If you fail to show compassion, you will limit your ability to achieve noble goals.

Coaching Questions: How would others rate you on your ability to demonstrate compassion? What steps do you need to take to develop this quality? Write your answers in your journal.

Read more coaching principles from Dean Harbry on the Internal Innovations website.