Business Daily Media

Men's Weekly

.

Morrison, compassion and coronavirus: when crisis refines leadership

  • Written by Sen Sendjaya, Professor of Leadership, Swinburne University of Technology

News that the Morrison government paid A$190,000[1] last year for advice on how to empathise with the Australian people was met with ridicule[2].

Yet it might be worth the money.

In late January, Morrison was continually criticised for appearing to lack compassion[3] over the bushfires.

He himself said, “there are things I could have handed on the ground much better”.

There are signs he has taken that to heart during the coronavirus outbreak.

Read more: Mr Morrison, I lost my home to bushfire. Your thoughts and prayers are not enough[4]

He has acknowledged unknowns and people’s fear of the unknown, and used inclusive language along the lines of, “together we will get through this[5]”.

It’s been more than getting the narrative right. We’ve seen capable and compassionate leadership, even “servant leadership”.

Problems, not projects, make leaders. Real leaders faced with real problems put their followers before themselves.

Servant leadership works

Research shows that “servant leaders[6]” make good leaders.

Their stories explain the success of many of the Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For[7], including Zappos.com, Marriot International, and TDIndustries.

In a recently published state-of-the-art review of servant leadership[8], we argue that servant leadership makes sense empirically, financially and psychologically.

Our review of 285 studies on servant leadership in 39 countries finds the approach creates better leader-follower relationships, in turn boosting performance metrics including employee satisfaction and well being, commitment, and innovation.

It can help in the polls

It is probably why we react positively in the polls when our political leaders show compassion.

The latest Newspoll suggests his approach to the coronavirus has done him no harm[9].

Financially, servant leadership is a worthwhile investment because it is correlated with[10] individual, team, and organisational performance better than other forms of leadership.

Psychologically, it helps individuals shift from a concern for themselves towards a concern for others, creating a culture of service[11].

Servant leadership is made up of six dimensions[12] that can be applied on a daily basis[13]:

image It is a common misconception that in times of crisis we need leaders with a command-and-control and domineering approach, and those who demonstrate compassion will be seen as weak. Compassion needs genuine strength The truth is that being compassionate does not signal weakness, inferiority, or a lack of self-respect. On the contrary, only those with a secure sense of self, strength of character, and psychological maturity are able to put aside themselves and instead serve others in times of crisis. Being compassionate isn’t easy, as Morrison knows. But it’s never too late to start. Read more: Grattan on Friday: Morrison looks to his messaging on coronavirus and climate[14]

References

  1. ^ A$190,000 (www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au)
  2. ^ ridicule (www.smh.com.au)
  3. ^ lack compassion (www.sbs.com.au)
  4. ^ Mr Morrison, I lost my home to bushfire. Your thoughts and prayers are not enough (theconversation.com)
  5. ^ together we will get through this (theconversation.com)
  6. ^ servant leaders (journals.sagepub.com)
  7. ^ Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For (www.modernservantleader.com)
  8. ^ state-of-the-art review of servant leadership (www.sciencedirect.com)
  9. ^ done him no harm (www.pollbludger.net)
  10. ^ correlated with (journals.sagepub.com)
  11. ^ culture of service (journals.aom.org)
  12. ^ six dimensions (link.springer.com)
  13. ^ on a daily basis (www.amazon.com)
  14. ^ Grattan on Friday: Morrison looks to his messaging on coronavirus and climate (theconversation.com)

Authors: Sen Sendjaya, Professor of Leadership, Swinburne University of Technology

Read more https://theconversation.com/morrison-compassion-and-coronavirus-when-crisis-refines-leadership-133621

How to ensure your manufacturing business survives international tariff turmoil

Optimising your operations in FY2026 will help you combat the challenges of a volatile trading environment. Up, down, in out…Since the commence...

Why Apptio is Enhancing Visibility into AI and Hybrid Cloud

AI investments have become a strategic priority for business with the mindset that if you're not using AI, you're falling behind. But according to...

Beyond borders: Building a scalable strategy for international hiring

For many Australian businesses, growth increasingly depends on thinking beyond local borders.  As wage pressures rise, and specialised talent pool...

The Next Generation of Maritime Sustainable Solutions

As organizations globally seek innovative ways to improve sustainability and their impact on Earth, the American Waterways Operators (AWO), a lead...

Demand for Home Batteries surges as Federal Rebate Kicks In

A leading provider of energy solutions VoltX Energy has seen a 400% increase in demand for home batteries in the past three weeks as people put d...

Why Sport Remains the Safest Bet in an Uncertain World

When Rome was in crisis, its leaders did not retreat to the Senate. They went to the circus. To the chariot races. To the gladiators. Sport was no...

Sell by LayBy