2012/11/01 by Richard E. Boyatzis, Melvin L. Smith, ‘Alim J. Beveridge +1
Psychology · #Ego Development and Educational Practices #Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions #Psychological Treatments and Assessments
paper · doi:10.1177/0021886312462236
openalex publication_date 2012/11/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
Compassion involves noticing another’s need, empathizing, and acting to enhance their well-being. In response to another’s pain, the motivation is to increase hedonic well-being or the absence of pain. In response to another’s desire to grow, the motivation is to increase eudaimonic well-being or helping them develop. We argue that compassion includes both. Our expanded view suggests that coaching with compassion will lead to desired change, enhanced health, and well-being. We propose a model saying coaching with compassion invokes a psychophysiological state that enables a person to be open to new possibilities and learning. In contrast, coaching for compliance (i.e., toward how the coach or the organization believe the person should act) and deficiency-based coaching invoke the opposite state—resulting in a person being defensive, reducing cognitive functioning. We theorize how coaching with compassion can enhance adaptability of the organization through creating norms and relationships of caring and development.