Now that we understand how important Clarity and clear communication is, let’s talk about how Compassion is a crucial component when it comes to team unity, engaged employees, and a positive company culture of trust.

Compassion affects trust because people put faith in those who care beyond themselves. If our employees, colleagues, friends, or families don’t experience compassion from us, our trustworthiness as a whole is negatively affected.

So what does this look like in real life, and what happens when our organizations and leaders do not demonstrate compassion to their coworkers?

According to the data…

• A study conducted by the University of Florida and USC showed that belittlement leads to a 33% decrease in workplace performance.
• Even worse, it showed a 39% decrease in brainstorming ideas.
• And believe it or not, there was even an approximately 25% decrease in performance for people who only witnessed someone else being belittled.

The Trust Outlook® research also looked at the top 5 reasons that people leave an organization:

1. Not appreciated
2. Not respected
3. Not listened to
4. Not cared about
5. Pay

SOURCE: https://trustedge.com/the-research/

It’s notable that “Pay” is number 5 on this list even though many people think compensation is the primary reason people leave a job. As the data shows that’s not the case, let’s talk about how to address reasons 1-4 by creating a culture of Compassion in the workplace.

Here are four proven ways to build compassion in the workplace:

1. Serve Selflessly
2. Actively Listen
3. Show Appreciation
4. Be Present

Serving selflessly means acting in the best interest of others without seeking personal gain, recognition, or reward. It involves putting others’ needs, well-being, or happiness before your own and offering your time, energy, or resources without expecting anything in return.

That isn’t to suggest you should become a doormat. We still need to stand up for what is right and what is true. That said, Selfless Service is driven by genuine compassion, empathy, and a desire to make a positive impact on others.

The most important takeaway from the “S” is that people put faith in those who care beyond themselves.

Most people do not listen with the intent to understand. Instead, they listen with the intent to reply. What we really want to do is create an environment where people feel heard and understood. Notice that “feels” is an emotional word.

If someone feels heard, they WILL trust you.When people feel heard and understood, it leads to increased feelings of connection and trust between individuals. Harvard research shows that when someone listens attentively, it activates our brain’s reward system and creates a connection.

We can make people feel heard and understood through active listening and replacing judgment with curiosity. Rather than interrupting, or defending your position, ask curious questions and encourage dialogue by listening to your team members and then saying things like “Go on” or “Tell me more”.

The 3 Levels of Listening

There are three levels of listening that range from highly distracted to highly present:

1. SECONDARY ATTENTION: This is the lowest level of listening, where our primary focus is on something else. We may hear the words being spoken, but our mind is elsewhere. For example, trying to have a conversation while checking our phone.
2. FOCUSED LISTENING: At this level, we are focused on the conversation but may still be thinking about our own thoughts or responses. While this is an improvement over secondary attention, it can still hinder effective communication. It should be noted that most conversations, even coaching conversations, are done at this level.
3. PRESENT LISTENING: This is the highest level of listening, where we are fully engaged in the conversation and focused solely on understanding the speaker’s perspective. We are present in the moment, free from distractions, and actively seeking to connect with the speaker on a deeper level.

It should be noted that Level 2 – FOCUSED LISTENING – is where most conversations will take place at work and that’s fine. There is still a single focus on the conversation and the speaker feels that they are being heard.

It’s been reported that:

• Only 23% of employees feel they receive the right amount of recognition
• Only 67% of polled employees feel the recognition is authentic
• Only 19% feel that appreciation is embedded in their company culture.

When we look at the statistics below, we can see how powerful appreciation and recognition is.

Employees who receive recognition:

• 5x more likely to feel connected to company culture
• 5x as likely to see a path to growth w/in organization
• 4x as likely to be engaged at work
• 4x as likely to recommend the organization to a friend

Recognition is most impactful when:

• Personalized
• Authentic
• Embedded in company culture

SOURCE: 2022 Gallup Report

There are some simple, key ways you can make appreciation a part of your workplace culture. Consider this a PSA to be Personal, Specific, and Authentic.

• PERSONAL: Consider simply delivering a hand-written note of appreciation to your employee, maybe with a small treat like a piece of their favorite candy.
• SPECIFIC: Don’t just say “great job”. Instead, say “It was impressive watching you interact with that guest. You allowed the guest to feel listened to and they were satisfied with the outcome.”
• AUTHENTIC: Sincerity is the key component to appreciation. If you are not authentic, your team will know it.

To help us be present, a good place to start is minimizing distractions. Think about trying to have a conversation with someone while the other person is on their mobile device or laptop.

It’s worth noting that a critical component to the four proven ways to build compassion that we’ve just discussed is Open Feedback. Ideally, this feedback should be normalized to be regular and ongoing, not only conducted in the context of a performance review. Feedback has many forms and can be spoken or unspoken.

Three Types of Feedback

• EVALUATION: Where we stand. You must have a mutual, clear understanding of the current state of things before being able to discuss any changes going forward.
• COACHING: This includes things like mentorship, but can be anything that helps a person learn and grow.
• APPRECIATION: As we’ve previously discussed, acknowledgment and validation are what keep people motivated.

Making compassion part of your theatre organization’s culture will provide employees with an “emotional salary” and result in engaged employees. It may seem like a lot of effort but the ROI you will receive in retention, performance, and guest satisfaction will make it all worth it!

In conclusion, compassion is a cornerstone of building trust and fostering a positive workplace culture. By actively listening, showing appreciation, serving selflessly, and being present, organizations can create an environment where employees feel valued, supported, and motivated. This not only leads to increased employee satisfaction and engagement but also drives better business outcomes. Remember, compassion is not just a nice-to-have; it’s essential for creating a thriving and successful organization.

Join us next time for the final installment of our series where we discuss How Consistency Drives Business Success! And if you missed the first 2 articles in this series, you can read them here:

• Why Trust Matters More Than Ever for Cinemas
• Clarity is the Cornerstone of Trust

CONTENT NOTE: The source material for this article comes from CineTRAIN’s 2-Day Master Class on Team Building. If you’re interested in bringing this dynamic training to your organization (virtually or in person), let’s talk!