Marcel Solo Episode Modeling Compassionate Leadership with Marcel Schwantes V1

Описание: Episode recap  

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In this solo episode, Marcel argued that compassion is a core leadership strength, not a soft extra, and that alleviating others’ pain and suffering is a leader’s real work. Through examples like Jeff Weiner and Phil Lynch during 9/11, he showed how leaders who prioritize people, communicate openly, and make space for emotion build stronger, more connected organizations. When leaders show up in hard moments, teams heal faster and perform better.


Bio

Marcel Schwantes is a leadership coach, speaker, author, and advocate for more humane workplaces. He works with organizations that are tired of burnout, disengagement, and hollow cultures — and ready to build something better. 

Marcel’s work includes: 

Executive coaching, Leadership development programs for managers 
Keynote speaking and workshops Executive roundtables and culture strategy sessions 

Marcel is the author of Humane Leadership: Lead with Radical Love, Be a Kick-Ass Boss. Whether coaching a CEO or training a leadership team, Marcel’s #1 goal is the same: To help leaders become the kind of people others want to follow. 


Timestamps 
[00:03] Why “soft skills” like compassion are actually essential leadership skills 
[01:05] Command-and-control vs. compassion: why old leadership models fail 
[02:00] Jeff Weiner on compassion as a lifelong practice, not a buzzword 
[02:52] Dr. James Doty’s definition of compassion and the science behind it 
[03:45] What compassionate leadership looks like in practice 
[04:32] 9/11 and Reuters: setting the scene for Phil Lynch’s defining moment 
[05:25] “People first, then customers, then the business” — a new priority in crisis 
[06:20] Keeping people informed, safe, and emotionally supported 
[07:15] Making space for grief, fear, and honest emotions at work 
[08:10] How compassion shaped Reuters’ culture and rippled to customers 
[08:30] Final reflection: Are you willing to be present with people when they’re suffering 


Key Quotes 

“If you want to measure yourself against the highest standard of leadership, you have to measure yourself against what people call the ‘soft stuff’—because it’s actually the hardest to master.” 



Key Takeaways: 

Compassion is an essential leadership skill, not a soft extra. 

Compassion is often dismissed as “soft,” but it is one of the hardest and most strategic skills to master. It directly impacts engagement, trust, and long-term performance. 

Compassion is both recognition and action. 

It’s not enough to notice someone’s pain. Compassion means seeing the suffering and intentionally acting to alleviate it—in conversations, decisions, and policies. 



Conclusion 

Marcel’s message in this episode is straightforward and challenging: the future of leadership is compassion in action. In a world where mental health struggles and emotional pain are everywhere, leaders can no longer hide behind metrics and control. 


Resources: 

Guest Mentioned: 

Dr. James Doty – Neurosurgeon and compassion researcher; previously featured on the show (link to that episode will be added to the show notes) 

People Referenced: 

Jeff Weiner – Former CEO of LinkedIn, advocate for compassion as a core leadership skill 

Phil Lynch – Former president of Reuters America, whose leadership during 9/11 exemplified compassion in crisis 

Related Topics: 

The book: https://www.amazon.com/Humane-Leaders...
Substack: https://marcelschwantes.substack.com/  
LinkedIn:   /       
X: https://x.com/MarcelSchwantes  
YouTube:    / @marcelschwantes1    
Instagram:   /     
Dr. James Doty Episode: https://www.marcelschwantes.com/dr-ja...

Links to the episode:

—Marcel's website:
—Apple podcast:
—iHeart Radio:
—Spotify:

About the Show:
The Love in Action Podcast is part of a global movement that inspires leaders to create human-centered and humane workplaces where people and businesses flourish. The show is heard in 160 countries and is ranked in the top 2% of all podcasts. If you like what you hear, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Now Accepting Podcast Sponsors
As we challenge current management thinking and practices and build skills around human leadership and human-centered work cultures, we would be delighted to accept your sponsorship for future episodes. If interested, contact Marcel here: https://www.marcelschwantes.com/contact/