Why do employees stay—or quietly leave?
In our 20 years of leadership training at Springfox, one truth stands out: the quality of leadership makes or breaks employee engagement.
And in today’s world of constant disruption, that truth matters more than ever. Workplaces everywhere are feeling the strain—economic instability, political tension, rising burnout and fatigue. Leadership style isn’t just about preference anymore. It’s about performance, trust, and whether your team stays or goes.
That’s why we believe the best leadership style for today’s challenges is compassionate leadership. Many styles can drive outcomes—but only one creates the conditions where people truly thrive.
What is compassionate leadership?
Compassionate leadership means caring for yourself and others. It seeks to benefit the greater good but also prioritises performance and accountability.
Contrary to some perceptions, compassion is not a sign of weakness. Compassionate leaders combine empathy with action:
- They recognise when others are struggling.
- They create space for psychological safety.
- They hold people to high standards while offering genuine support.
At Springfox, we see compassion as a strategic advantage. Leaders who focus on compassion create better connections and trust in their teams. This creates a feeling of belonging, helping to keep staff. It also boosts the effort that people are willing to give. Compassionate leaders encourage effort by creating inspiring spaces. They focus on encouragement, not pressure.
Leadership styles: Why compassion matters more than ever
Leadership expert, Daniel Goleman, identifies six core leadership styles:
- Commanding: This style emphasises control, direction, and compliance. It works well in a crisis situation, but it can hurt morale and trust.
- Pacesetting: This style sets high standards and demands quick results. It can cause burnout if overused.
- Democratic: This style encourages participation and input, fostering collaboration and buy-in.
- Coaching: This style helps people grow for the future. It focuses on personal development and building skills for the long term.
- Affiliative: This style strengthens emotional bonds within the team, building loyalty and trust.
- Visionary: This style motivates with a clear vision of the future. It gives purpose and direction to the team’s efforts.
Commanding and pacesetting leadership styles are high-pressure, directive approaches that can bring fast results. But they might hurt engagement and limit innovation over time. Democratic, coaching, affiliative, and visionary leadership styles are often more empathetic and effective. This is especially true in today’s unpredictable workplaces.
[These six styles were originally defined by psychologist and leadership expert Daniel Goleman. For a deeper dive into the science behind them, see his book Primal Leadership: Unleashing the Power of Emotional Intelligence, co-authored with Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee].
A visual guide to six common leadership styles — and how compassion makes each one more effective.
Yet even empathetic leadership styles can sometimes fall short without intentional compassion.
Compassionate leadership means caring for others to achieve a greater good. It is the ideal. It delivers measurable impacts across teams and organisations.
Compassionate leadership strengthens:
- Employee engagement and trust.
- Staff retention and discretionary effort.
- Innovation, collaboration, and problem-solving.
- Resilience during change and disruption.
In a changing world, compassionate leadership builds workplaces where people thrive. As one of the most inspiring leadership quotes reminds us:
“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”.
—Attributed to Theodore Roosevelt
How compassionate leaders build strong cultures
Compassionate leaders pay attention to more than KPIs. They tune into the emotional pulse of their teams.
Leaders share their feelings and reactions through ‘mirror neurons’. This biological system reflects the emotions of others, even their unconscious judgements.
For leaders, the implications are significant. Tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language can build trust or diminish it over time.
[For a deeper dive into how trust shapes team culture and resilience, read our blog on high-trust leadership and the future of sustainable organisations].
Emotional resonance isn’t optional in leadership. It’s happening whether we intend it or not.
Compassionate leadership means:
- Aligning your tone, body language, and actions with your values.
- Acting on empathy—not only feeling it.
- Addressing employee issues with coaching, not punishment.
- Helping team members grow. Sometimes, this means helping them find a better fit in a different role or company.
At Springfox, we urge leaders to ask: “Am I investing in my team’s emotions, or am I ignoring their needs until trust fades?”
Our Social Investment Model shows leaders how their emotions affect team trust and well-being. Leaders who show empathy and compassion build positive, trusting cultures. In these environments, everyone can thrive. When leaders lack empathy or compassion, teams may feel disengaged or resentful.
Many leaders miss how small daily choices can cause team disengagement or burnout. Missing a scheduled chat, feeling distant, or showing too much sympathy matters. The Social Investment Model helps leaders find and fix these patterns early. This way, they will not become risks for the entire culture.
Download our Compassionate Leadership White Paper. Discover the Social Invest Model. Learn how compassionate leadership builds stronger and more resilient teams.
The Skills of a Compassionate Leader
Compassionate leadership isn’t passive or “soft”. It requires:
- Listening with deep, genuine curiosity about others’ experiences.
- Managing conflict and addressing issues head-on.
- Maintaining optimism and emotional regulation under stress.
- Encouraging collaboration and joint ownership of outcomes.
- Practicing daily empathy, even during busy or pressured periods.
In short, compassionate leaders are resilient. They can handle complexity and help others grow and succeed.
Finding your leadership style
Some leaders are compassionate, but most need to work on this skill over time.
Reflect on your leadership style:
- When under pressure, do you default to commanding, pacesetting, or connection?
- Are your values, emotions, and behaviours aligned?
- Are you creating psychological safety and trust every day?
Choosing a compassionate leadership style is a smart choice. It creates stronger teams, builds healthier cultures, and leads to lasting success.
Quick ways to start leading with compassion today
Building compassionate leadership doesn’t mean a complete overhaul. It starts with small, intentional steps:
- Take five minutes in your next meeting to check in with someone, without an agenda.
- Reflect daily: Is my tone, body language, and behaviour aligned with my values?
- Have a chat this week to offer support. Don’t focus on performance goals.
Leaders build compassionate leadership through daily moments of attention, empathy, and action.
The leadership style for the future
In an uncertain world, caring leaders will build workplaces where everyone can succeed. They won’t only deliver results. They will inspire loyalty, spark innovation, and build strong high-performing teams.
Because in the end, leadership isn’t only about strategy or outcomes. It’s about how you show up for others—especially when it matters most.
Ready to lead with greater impact?
At Springfox, we help leaders create trust and resilience. We focus on building sustainable high performance through compassionate leadership.
Download your free copy of the Compassionate Leadership White Paper.
Or explore our leadership and coaching programmes. Build skills for leading strong, high-performing teams, even in today’s uncertain times.
Because in times of disruption, the leadership style you choose can change everything.
P.S. Know someone who’s passionate about leadership and resilience? Feel free to share this article and help us spread the power of compassionate leadership.
Keep well.
Common questions about leadership styles
What is compassionate leadership?
Compassionate leadership is about using empathy and taking action. It helps others reach a greater good. It focuses on building trust, resilience, and long-term success without sacrificing performance expectations.
How does leadership style impact team resilience?
Your leadership style affects how your team adapts, recovers, and thrives under pressure. Compassionate leadership creates a connection. This builds psychological safety, trust, and loyalty. These are key elements of strong, resilient teams.
What are the six leadership styles identified by Daniel Goleman?
Daniel Goleman identified six leadership styles:
- Commanding
- Pacesetting
- Democratic
- Coaching
- Affiliative
- Visionary
Styles like coaching and affiliative focus on connection. They boost engagement and resilience.