Have you ever considered the possibility of creating, within your organization, a network of colleagues who share a curiosity and interest in compassion? Add to this already audacious idea the possibility that a network like this could act spontaneously, grow organically, and catalyze compassionate initiatives and projects up and down your organization. To complete this musing, imagine that the mere existence of such a network could inspire others to do the same.
This is one of my dreams come true.
I have been practicing compassion at work since 2021 when I was participating in the Applied Compassion Training (ACT) program at Stanford University. My intention from the very beginning was to share what I had learned, as a Compassion Ambassador, and apply those learnings in my daily interactions with my team and stakeholders. I wanted to offer my colleagues a possibility to directly experience compassion through meditation, dedicated sessions and webinars, and through action.
My first beginnings were aspirational. Though I had never led a guided meditation in my life, I decided to voluntarily design, create, and share compassion experiences for my team and colleagues. But what would doing that entail?
In my case, it soon became a regular part of my work activities. I had worked for more than three decades as a European civil servant and felt a strong yearning within me to open my heart and give back something of myself that made a difference to my amazing colleagues in this vast organization. I knew, from first-hand experience how cultivating a compassionate attitude improved and helped me hone my leadership skills and how that had empowered my team to become more innovative and perform consistently at very high levels — sustainably! It didn’t take long for me to realize that this difference was available to anyone who wants to cultivate the path of compassion.
Compassion is love’s response to suffering or distress. It is found in relationships.
So, what to do with all of that? I decided to never say no to compassion and see what came next. At the beginning of 2024, a dear friend and colleague who had little-by-little been intentionally cultivating compassion was going to retire. I suggested to a small group of mutual colleagues that we organize a “Compassion Network” breakfast.” My idea was to celebrate him and simultaneously acknowledge all the efforts to bring mindfulness, meditation, and compassion into our organization by other like-minded colleagues. This was the first ‘Compassion Network’ gathering in the European Commission. About 30 people joined us at that breakfast which created a sense of community and encouraged us to continue. And from that simple beginning, the idea to hold a second, more structured gathering was floated by a few enthusiasts. But we decided to offer it at lunchtime, to give participants a chance to break bread together and connect a bit more deeply with other colleagues. This turned into a joyful networking moment around a number of discussion tables, hosted by different colleagues, exploring possible compassion projects. The themes ranged from wellbeing at work, to HR resources for members dealing with personal and family challenges, to infusing compassion into the European Union’s policy making.
That potluck lunch attracted a hundred people from many diverse departments throughout the Commission. It created an incubator for lively conversations which showcased and inspired compassionate actions, at the various discussion tables. We ended our gathering on a high note, singing “A million dreams” and anticipating our next ‘Compassion Network’ event which is scheduled at teatime in December. This will give those whose schedules prevented them from participating in our breakfast or lunchtime gatherings, an opportunity to join us for our next event.
I feel extremely lucky to work in a place that makes initiatives like this possible. Many of my colleagues expressed their gratitude for the ‘Compassion Network’ and for the ways it supports, encourages and celebrates their actions to reduce suffering and stress in their professional and personal lives. Those colleagues who may have been a bit shy to speak in public nevertheless also conveyed similar feelings through their smiles, glow, and warmth.
Compassion nurtures the human heart and elevates the performance of an organization. It makes the latter more sustainable because of the former. Compassion isn’t a magic wand, but it is truly transformational. It can inspire change, starting with humble seeds that inevitably take root and grow, as research suggests and our own experience at the European Commission confirms. The motivation, sense of purpose, belonging, and push for innovation that comes with the cultivation of compassion is simply mind-boggling.
Test it out in your own workplace or organization. You, too, will be amazed by its ripple effect!
