by Immie Beswick
In 2023, the Student Leadership Academy (SLA) at Swansea University hosted a wide range of speakers, from various professions, to share their knowledge and experience of applying leadership skills in their careers. While the topics were varied and the advice covered broad areas, a strong theme of compassion underlay the discussion of the day.
Compassion in Leadership. Self-compassion. Compassion in the workplace.
With a flow of so much information and so many passionate speakers over just two short days, the question remained: How can I use this in my studies and in my career?
Dr Sarah Tobin, one of the guest speakers at the SLA, spoke about “Compassion and Compassionate Leadership” early in the conference. Her presentation struck me particularly, as it moved beyond theory to quantify the benefits of compassion in the workplace. She spoke of research demonstrating the need for compassion between staff to facilitate compassion between nurses and patients, as is covered in articles in the Nursing Times (Sharpe & Hart, 2024) and the BMJ Leader (Papadopoulos et al., 2022). For me, this translated into a need for understanding between every member of the team, especially during times of stress or when mistakes are made. I took this idea and thought of it often, over the next year, throughout my experiences as an Adult Nursing BSc student.
Compassion for patients has been at the centre of nursing for a long time and is one of the ‘6 Cs of Nursing’ launched by Chief Nursing Officer Jane Cummings in 2012 (Nursing Notes, 2022). The drive for compassionate leadership to create an environment where this is possible is a noble one. However, a second notion of compassionate leadership came to mind, when thinking about how to facilitate more compassionate interactions in my own communication with other staff on the wards.
Self-compassion. An often-overlooked aspect of compassion, self-compassion was a theme discussed both directly and indirectly by many of the speakers at the SLA conference. Some speakers mentioned overcoming self-doubt and insecurity, others spoke of avoiding ‘compassion burnout’ by being mindful of their own emotions and stresses. For me, this is an important part of nursing and something that I recognise in the nurses that have really inspired and supported me during my training so far. In my experience, the best mentors will encourage you to recognise your needs and to include rest and decompression in your practice. As the speakers at the conference shared, this is not just for your personal benefit, but enables better communication, more compassion for others and time for reflection. All of these are key qualities to lead, and a way of leading by example. With nurses reportedly feeling “burnt-out” and “unhappy” in the UK (Mitchell, 2022), self-compassion is more important than ever. Acknowledging personal stresses with kindness can foster the natural inclination to do the same for others (Saleh, Ahmed & Eldahshan, 2022), as well as helping to reduce stress levels.
My Leadership Academy journey included working together with an assigned ‘Leadership Coach’, which was an excellent opportunity to try and use those forms of compassion in planning and working towards my goals. Through discussion of the challenges that might impact my progression and the areas I wanted to work on, my coach both demonstrated excellent compassion herself and encouraged self-compassion in how I chose and pursued those aims. One clear point is that realistic goals cannot be achieved without self-compassion and that it is a necessary component of the resilience required to succeed.
Leadership is a term that can be defined as “the person in charge” (Cambridge Dictionary, n.d.), but in the context of the SLA, it becomes much more. The Cambridge Dictionary actually extends this definition to include “the qualities of a good leader”, and this was demonstrated by the participants of the conference. What I mean, is that even those who were not in positions of leadership, such as student attendants of previous SLA conferences at Swansea University, used their engagement skills, their curiosity, and their enthusiasm to cultivate a better environment for personal growth. This role truly demonstrated the value of leadership qualities within cohesive teamwork and not just in those who are leading the group.
Moving forward from my experiences with the SLA and these reflections, the challenge becomes: how to remain mindful of these key points and implement them as my studies and career develop. The title “Leadership, Compassion and Adaptation” encompasses that challenge.
Leadership, as an internal, rather than external role. Leading by demonstrating empathy for others, listening and supporting them. Leading through the courage to be innovative and to speak up.
Compassion, in difficult conversations. Compassion in the workplace. Compassion for yourself and for those you find most difficult. Compassion in conflict is one of the hardest tools to use, but can foster mutual respect and appreciation.
Adaptation, to the environment and the people around you. Awareness of differences in individuals and of situationally appropriate responses allow for changes in how those leadership skills are demonstrated. Adapting to new circumstances means continuing to grow and develop communication skills with the understanding that every person is unique in their expectations and their responses.
In short, the Student Leadership Academy enabled an amazing opportunity to hear from leaders from all over the UK and find links in their experiences and their strengths. The points they covered will stay with me, and have already given me insight to improve my work, both clinically and theoretically. By reflecting on their validity, I am surprised and pleased by how much the topics continue to be beneficial.
I’d like to extend my thanks to Beryl and the team at the SLA and all those who attended last year’s conference as speakers.
References
Cambridge Dictionary. (n. d.). The meaning of ‘leadership’ in English. Retrieved May 11, 2024, from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/leadership
Mitchell, G., (2022, March 30). NHS Staff Survey: Nurses burnt out and unhappy with pay and staffing. The Nursing Times. https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/workforce/nhs-staff-survey-nurses-burnt-out-and-unhappy-with-pay-and-staffing-30-03-2022/
Nursing Notes. (2022, June 17). The 6Cs of Nursing: Professional Values Explained. https://nursingnotes.co.uk/resources/the-6cs-of-nursing/
Papadopoulos, I., Wright, S., Lazzarino, R.,Koulouglioti, C., Aagard, M., Akman, O., Alpers, L-M., Apostolara, P., Araneda, J., Biglete-Pangilinan, S., Eldar-Regev, O., González-Gil, M. T., Kouta, C., Krepinska, R., Lesińska-Sawicka, M., Liskova, M., Lopez-Diaz, L., Malliarou, M., Martín-García, A., Muñoz-Salinas, M., Nagórska, M., Ngunyulu, R. N., Nissim, S., Nortvedt, L., Oconer-Rubiano, F., Oter-Quintana, C., Öztürk, C., Papp, K., Piratoba-Hernandez, B., Rousou, E., Tolentino-Diaz, M. Y., Tothova, V., & Zorba, A. (2022). Enactment of compassionate leadership by nursing and midwifery managers: results from an international online survey.
BMJ Leader, 6, 186-191. https://doi.org/10.1136/leader-2020-000385
Saleh, H. M. M., Ahmed, M. Z., & Eldahshan, M. E. A. (2022). Self-Compassion in Nursing Practice. Menoufia Journal of Nursing, 7(1), 55-62. https://menj.journals.ekb.eg/article_223842_d920d77f0ad111f65353031d646e8699.pdf Sharpe, J., & Hart, T. (2024, March 18). Applying compassionate leadership to enhance the effectiveness of the PNA. The Nursing Times. https://www.nursingtimes.net/clinical-archive/clinical-supervision/applying-compassionate-leadership-to-enhance-the-effectiveness-of-the-pna-18-03-2024/
Swansea University Student Leadership Academy 