| Question | Suggested Insight / Best Practice |
|---|---|
| 💭 How do I usually respond when someone shares a difficult emotion with me? | Aim to move from empathy to compassion—acknowledge their pain but also reflect on how you can support or relieve it without absorbing the emotion. |
| 🧠 When was the last time I chose courage over comfort in my personal life? | Make discomfort a habit. Growth often happens just outside your comfort zone. |
| 🎯 Am I present when I’m with others, or is my mind often elsewhere? | Practice “be where your feet are.” Mindful presence builds trust and understanding. |
| 💬 Do I avoid difficult conversations with people I care about? Why? | Avoiding them can hinder mutual growth. Being direct with care is a gift. |
| ⚖️ Do I try to be liked more than I try to be respected? | It’s okay to want both, but leadership—personal or professional—often requires prioritizing respect over popularity. |
🧭 Professional Development Questions
| Question | Suggested Insight / Best Practice |
|---|---|
| 🧩 How do I prepare for difficult conversations at work? | Use the four steps: presence, courage, directness, and transparency. Prepare your first and last sentence in advance. |
| 👂 Do I listen with the intention to understand or the intention to reply? | Compassion starts with being present and truly listening—sometimes that’s all that’s needed. |
| 💡 Have I ever mistaken empathy for compassion in my leadership approach? | Empathy = feeling; Compassion = intentional action. Compassion is more sustainable and empowering. |
| 🌐 Do I show the same level of compassion in virtual interactions as I do in person? | In digital environments, compassion must be more intentional and explicit. Use thoughtful messages and clear support. |
| 🛠 How do I balance execution with care when making hard decisions? | Leadership means being kind and clear—doing hard things in a human way by offering clarity as kindness. |
