Is it ok to care? How compassion falters and is courageously accomplished in the midst of uncertainty
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Authors
Kanov, Jason
Powley, Edward H.
Walshe, Neil D.
Subjects
compassion
courage
organizational context
relational process
suffering
uncertainty
courage
organizational context
relational process
suffering
uncertainty
Advisors
Date of Issue
2016
Date
Publisher
The Tavistock Institute
Language
Abstract
This article elaborates the organizational literature’s process theory of compassion – an empathic response to suffering – which falls short of adequately explaining why and how compassion unfolds readily in some workplace situations or settings but not in others. We address this shortcoming by calling attention to the basic uncertainty of suffering and compassion, demonstrating that this uncertainty tends to be particularly pronounced in organizational settings, and presenting propositions that explain how such uncertainty inhibits the compassion process. We then argue that understanding the accomplishment of compassion in the midst of uncertainty necessitates regarding compassion as an enactment of courage, and we incorporate insights from the organizational literature on everyday courageous action into compassion theory. We conclude with a discussion of implications in which we underscore the importance of organizational support for the expression of suffering and the doing of compassion, and we also consider directions for future research.
Type
Article
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NPS Report Number
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Format
27 p.
Citation
Kanov, Jason, Edward H. Powley, and Neil D. Walshe. "Is it ok to care? How compassion falters and is courageously accomplished in the midst of uncertainty." Human Relations 70.6 (2017): 751-777.
Distribution Statement
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.