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Writer's pictureKimberley Mackenzie

Leading with Compassion: An introduction to Trauma-Informed Leadership

At a recent conference I was presenting my session on workplace wellbeing and someone asked me to explain what trauma informed leadership was and why it was important. We didn’t have much time to go into detail so I thought it might be useful to unpack it a bit more here. In this moment in our history trauma informed leadership has never seemed more important.

 

Trauma-informed leadership is a crucial approach where empathy, resilience, and understanding are key to fostering a productive and supportive work environment. Of course, we talk about trauma informed storytelling to use empathy and compassion when telling stories about our beneficiaries. We can do the same as compassionate leaders and use the same principles of recognizing and responding to the effects of trauma and prioritize the well-being of our team to enhance performance during challenging times.

 

The three main elements: awareness, safety, and empowerment—serve as a foundation for creating a compassionate workplace, everyday, but especially during difficult times.


Awareness: Recognizing Trauma and Its Impact

 

The first step is to understand what trauma is and how it can impact your team. The challenge is that different people will experience trauma in a lot of different ways. Especially if your team spans four generations. Trauma can stem from a wide range of experiences, including personal hardships, workplace stress, or societal challenges. It can manifest in different ways, such as anxiety, difficulty concentrating, or emotional withdrawal, and it often influences how your team interacts with each other. Some people will want to fight. Some will need to retreat.

 

Talk about it with your team. A common understanding of signs and impact on behaviour and performance can really help people come together.

 

Emotional Intelligence: Building emotional intelligence enables you to recognize subtle signs of distress and respond with sensitivity.

 

Active Listening: Encouraging open communication and truly listening to employees’ concerns can build trust and ensures that struggles are acknowledged rather than dismissed.

 

When leaders are trauma-aware, they set the stage for creating a supportive environment where employees feel seen and understood.

 

Safety: Creating a Secure and Supportive Environment

 

A key principle of trauma-informed leadership is do your best to establish both physical and psychological safety at work. Employees thrive when they feel safe to express themselves, share ideas, or disclose struggles without fear of judgment or repercussions. A safe environment not only prevents re-traumatization but also fosters collaboration, creativity and a support system.

 

Ways to ensure safety:

 

Clear Policies and Boundaries: Setting clear expectations and maintaining consistent communication helps people know what to expect of each other.

 

Encouraging Inclusivity: Leaders should promote inclusivity, ensuring all employees feel respected and valued regardless of their background or experiences. Be mindful that not everyone will speak up in a meeting. Provide other opportunities to share perspectives and provide input.

 

Providing Resources: Offering access to mental health resources, employee assistance programs, and flexible work options demonstrates a commitment to employees’ well-being.

 

By prioritizing safety, you can create a foundation of trust that empowers employees to support each other and continue to contribute.

 

Empowerment: Fostering Growth and Resilience

 

Empowerment is the cornerstone of trauma-informed leadership, as it emphasizes helping employees regain control, build resilience, and reach their full potential. Trauma can leave individuals feeling powerless, so empowering leadership focuses on restoring confidence and encouraging agency.

 

Strategies for empowerment:

 

Strength-Based Approaches: Recognizing and leveraging employees’ strengths builds confidence, promotes a sense of achievement and increases overall impact.

 

Collaborative Decision-Making: Involving employees in decisions that affect their roles helps them feel valued and respected.

 

Continuous Feedback: Offering constructive and positive feedback encourages growth while acknowledging effort and progress.

 

Empowered employees are more engaged, motivated, and capable of overcoming challenges, contributing to a thriving workplace culture.

 

Conclusion

Trauma-informed leadership is not merely a management style—it is a commitment to understanding and addressing the human experiences that shape workplace dynamics. By embracing awareness, fostering safety, and promoting empowerment, you can build an environment where employees feel supported and valued. This way you will, not only enhance individual well-being but also drive collective impact when the world needs you most.

 

Compassionate leadership is key to a resilient and high-performing teams and organizations. You’ve got this! And, if you need some extra support, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d be happy to help.

 

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I’m Kimberley MacKenzie, CPCC, ACC I work with charity executives to get transformative results for themselves and their teams. A charity executive for 22 years, I built a six-figure consultancy and held my CFRE for 17 years until I was certified by the International Coaching Federation as an Associate Certified Coach and by the Co-Active Training Institute as a Certified Co-Active Professional Coach. I am the former editor for Charity eNews, an AFP Master Trainer, have taught the entire AFP Fundraising Fundamentals course - twice, and am an excellent group Facilitator. I participated on Rogare’s think tank reviewing Relationship Fundraising and was a driving force in the early days of SOFII.org. I am a Podcaster, Step/Mother to eight children, Grandmother to Hannah and I enjoy spending time in the forest or along the Avon River with my two puppies.You can reach me at k@kimberleymackenzie.ca or follow me on Instagram or bluesky @kimberleycanada.

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