Compassion, suffering and servant-leadership: Combining compassion and servant-leadership to respond to suffering

Abstract

There is a great deal of suffering in the world. Through an examination of suffering and compassion, the author suggests that the servant-leader is in a position to address this suffering, but only if an attitude of compassion is added to the concept of servant-leadership. To that end, the author calls for an exploration of compassion and how it addresses suffering. By examining the nature of compassion, its history among religious traditions and some defining features, as well as the universal nature of suffering, the author suggests that compassion would be a worthy addition to the skills of the servant-leader in responding to suffering.