Pete BoyleLeadership significantly impacts organisational performance. Terms like “authentic leadership” and “compassionate leadership” are often used to describe effective leaders, but they mean different things. Understanding the distinction matters—especially for those responsible for shaping leadership development.
What is Authentic Leadership?
Authentic leadership is grounded in self-awareness, transparency, ethics, and consistency. The premise is simple: leaders who are true to their values and beliefs are more likely to build trust, inspire followership, and create psychologically safe environments (Avolio & Gardner, 2005).
However, authenticity isn’t always straightforward. Leaders are encouraged to “bring their whole selves to work”—but what if parts of that “self” are misaligned with what the organisation needs? As Gruenfeld & Zander (2011) note, authenticity can be misused as an excuse for being unfiltered or inflexible. Genuine authenticity requires continual self-reflection and a willingness to evolve, not simply staying static in one’s comfort zone.
In leadership, being ‘real’ doesn’t mean being rigid.
What is Compassionate Leadership?
Compassionate leadership is defined by empathy, emotional intelligence, and a genuine concern for others’ well-being. Compassionate leaders take the time to listen, understand individual needs, and create working environments where people feel respected and supported (Boyatzis & McKee, 2005).
For the ‘anti-woke’ set – this isn’t about being soft—it’s about being effective. Compassionate leadership has been shown to improve collaboration, reduce burnout, and build psychological safety. In sectors like healthcare and public service, it’s also linked to higher performance and better staff retention (West & Chowla, 2017).
Crucially, compassion in leadership isn’t just about what leaders feel—it’s about what they do. As Atkins & Parker (2012) point out, compassion in organisations involves noticing suffering, feeling empathic concern, and taking action to alleviate that suffering. In a leadership context, this means responding to people’s needs with intention, not avoidance. Avoidance is the ‘soft’ option here.
How Are They Different—and Can You Be Both?
The key distinction lies in where the focus lies:
- Authentic leadership is largely inward-facing, centred on the leader’s self-concept and values.
- Compassionate leadership is outward-facing, prioritising how the leader relates to and supports others.
Research also suggests both styles have underdeveloped follower perspectives (Crawford et al., 2020). That is, we often analyse these leadership approaches by studying the leader, but not enough from the point of view of the people being led.
There’s also a practical tension: if a leader prides themselves on “being authentic,” but that version of themselves lacks emotional attunement or tact, their impact may be harmful, no matter how “true” they feel they are being. This is where compassion becomes a necessary counterbalance.
In contrast, compassion without authenticity can feel performative. Without alignment between values and behaviour, the care can ring hollow.
Another nuance is the importance of self-compassion, particularly for leaders operating under pressure. Neff (2003) identifies self-compassion as the ability to treat oneself with kindness, recognise common humanity, and respond to personal setbacks with mindfulness rather than judgement. Leaders who practise self-compassion are more emotionally resilient and less likely to become defensive, making them better equipped to lead others with balance and care.
The most effective leaders blend both: grounded in who they are but always attuned to who others need them to be.
What This Means for Leadership Development
Leadership isn’t a binary choice between being authentic or compassionate. Instead, both are interdependent and essential. As leadership development professionals, we must help leaders navigate the “authenticity paradox”—encouraging them to lead from a place of integrity while building the emotional literacy to adapt their approach for the benefit of others.
In practice, this means developing:
- Self-awareness: Leaders must understand their default behaviours, triggers, and blind spots.
- Empathy and relational intelligence: The ability to tune into others’ experiences and respond appropriately.
- Values-based adaptability: Knowing when and how to stretch beyond comfort zones while staying true to what matters.
Final Thought
Authenticity and compassion are both essential, but neither is effective in isolation. Strong leadership demands two things: an honest understanding of yourself, and a deliberate focus on how you affect others. The best leaders do both—consistently, and with purpose.
Interested in how this plays out in practice? We help organisations design leadership programmes that build capability in both areas, without the jargon. Get in touch to see how we can support your goals.
Bibliography
Avolio, B. J., & Gardner, W. L. (2005). Authentic leadership development: Getting to the root of positive forms of leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 16(3), 315–338. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2005.03.001
Atkins, P. W. B., & Parker, S. K. (2012). Understanding individual compassion in organisations. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 33, 245–263. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.763
Boyatzis, R. E., & McKee, A. (2005). Resonant Leadership: Renewing Yourself and Connecting with Others Through Mindfulness, Hope, and Compassion. Harvard Business School Press.
Crawford, J. A., Dawkins, S., Martin, A., & Lewis, G. (2020).
Putting the leader back into authentic leadership: Reconceptualising and rethinking leaders. Australian Journal of Management, 45(1), 114–133. https://doi.org/10.1177/0312896219836460
Gruenfeld, D., & Zander, L. (2011, February 1). Authentic Leadership Can Be Bad Leadership. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2011/02/authentic-leadership-can-be-ba
Neff, K. D. (2003). The development and validation of a scale to measure self-compassion. Self and Identity, 2(3), 223–250. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860309027
Walumbwa, F. O., Avolio, B. J., Gardner, W. L., Wernsing, T. S., & Peterson, S. J. (2008). Authentic leadership: Development and validation of a theory-based measure. Journal of Management, 34(1), 89–126. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206307308913
West, M. A., & Chowla, R. (2017). Compassionate leadership for compassionate healthcare. In P. Gilbert (Ed.), Compassion in Healthcare (pp. 125–144). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57758-5_6