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Cited by 80Leadership and Management in OrganizationsEmployee Performance and LeadershipJob Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior

Does Compassion Matter in Leadership? A Two‐Stage Sequential Equal Status Mixed Method Exploratory Study of Compassionate Leader Behavior and Connections to Performance in Human Resource Development

Shuck, Brad, Alagaraja, Meera, Immekus, Jason, Cumberland, Denise, Honeycutt‐Elliott, Maryanne·2019·Human Resource Development Quarterly
DOI 10.1002/hrdq.21369
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Abstract

The transformative power of compassion is critical to leader performance and has garnered increasing interest in business settings. Despite substantive contributions toward the conceptual understanding of compassion, prior empirical work on the relationship between compassion and leader performance is relatively limited. This article presents compassionate leader behavior as a conceptualization of a new leadership construct. A two‐stage, sequential, and equal status mixed method research design was utilized to develop and validate a measure of compassionate leadership. Study 1 used a phenomenological approach to understand how leaders engage with compassion and how their experiences and behaviors associated with compassion affect performance within the context of their leadership. Findings indicated that when leaders focused on compassionate behaviors during routine and focal events in the organization, six distinctive themes—integrity, empathy, accountability, authenticity, presence, and dignity—emerged as individual‐level building blocks of compassionate leadership behavior. In Study 2, we developed and validated a Compassionate Leader Behavior Index (CLBI) based on the six emergent behaviors and found general support for compassionate leadership for both practice and research. Implications of study findings and directions for future research in human resource development (HRD) are discussed.

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Crossref · 10.1002/hrdq.21369

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81 of 81 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • By treating people with respect, valuing employees' contributions, and honoring them, employees will develop a great sense of dignity at work.

    “By treating people with respect, valuing employees' contributions, and honoring them, employees will develop a great sense of dignity at work (Shuck et al. 2019).”

    From Whither compassionate leadership? A systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Shuck et al. 2019

  • Integrity helps build employee credibility and trust in their leaders.

    “It helps build a level of employee credibility and trust on their leaders (Shuck et al. 2019).”

    From Whither compassionate leadership? A systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Shuck et al. 2019

  • Shuck et al. (2019) produced their own items on six themes derived from the literature: Empathy, Presence, Integrity, Authenticity, Dignity and Accountability.

    “Shuck et al. (2019) concede the lack of previously developed items and produce their own items on six different themes derived from the literature: Empathy; Presence; Integrity; Authenticity; Dignity and Accountability.”

    From Whither compassionate leadership? A systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Shuck et al. (2019)

  • Leadership is not just about getting things done but also about how things are done.

    “The common thread across these implications is the recognition that leadership is not just about getting things done but also about how things are done (Shuck et al. 2019).”

    From Whither compassionate leadership? A systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Shuck et al. 2019

  • Shuck et al. (2019) found compassionate leadership to have a negative influence on employee turnover and a positive correlation between compassionate leadership, employee engagement, and employee psychological wellbeing.

    “Shuck et al. (2019) found compassionate leadership to have a negative influence on employee turnover and a positive correlation between compassionate leadership, employee engagement, and employee psychological wellbeing.”

    From Whither compassionate leadership? A systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Shuck et al. (2019)

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Authors
Shuck, B., Alagaraja, M., Immekus, J., Cumberland, D., & Honeycutt‐Elliott, M.
Affiliations
  • University of Louisville (US)
  • George Washington University (US)
Corresponding author
Shuck, Brad
ORCID
Venue
Human Resource Development Quarterly
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2019-07-23
Volume
30
Issue
4
Pages
537-564
ISSN
  • 1044-8004 (ISSN-L)
  • 1532-1096
DOI
10.1002/hrdq.21369
OpenAlex
W2963892154
Cited by
80
References
82
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 5
FWCI
11.92
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
Human Resource Development Quarterly (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Leadership and Management in Organizations
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Employee Performance and Leadership
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior
Keywords
compassionate leadership, leader performance, empathy, integrity, accountability, authenticity, presence, human dignity, human resource development

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