Dr. Chris Kukk: Compassion and Success go Hand in Hand
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Our today’s guest is the professor of political Science at Western State University Dr. Chris Kukk. Author, former counter intelligence agent, and Director of Center for Compassion, Creativity & Innovation, he tries to redefine what we know about success, elevating the role of compassion in achieving it. Did we mention that he’s also broken bread with his holiness Dalai Lama?
The Value of Compassion
For one person to succeed few others have to fail, or so we have been told. Achieving over other people is an accepted artificial virtue in today’s society. But success built on other people’s failures or, worse yet, their misgivings, is short-lived. One built on compassion however, on caring for one another even if it means getting burnt every now and then, is more sustainable.
Being compassionate is often frowned upon as a lesser virtue, a soft disadvantage in the game called survival and success. It is not so. It is rather the strength to trust and forgive, the water that ever so steadily tames the hardness of rocks. The essential aspect of compassion is the heightened ability to solve problems, both yours and of those around.
The King of the Hill
Remember that game we all played as children where you have to trump all the other kids to win? Yeah, that one. It is highly emblematic of our individualistic nature of taking each other down. We’re taught to be ruthless, to win all the time, to be competitive to the point of extreme selfishness.
But this is no way to any happiness worth having. Nor is it the way to the top. It is rather through awareness of other people that we shape our success. Compassion is the key here, as it opens up the possibilities we never thought of. We are often so hung on our superficial dreams that we miss out on all the doors that are opening right before our eyes, but that we are blind to see.
You Can Learn it
The quality of compassion can be acquired in both daily life and business. Chris recommends the LUCA plan: Listening, Understanding, Connection, and Acting. It all starts with the listening skill, but listening to things we both agree and disagree with. It is the necessary skill to be able to listen not to take someone down, but to build your understanding further.
Pick up, Dust off
Nelson Mandela once said that he never lost; he either won, or learned.
People are often afraid that compassion might get them burned. Chris is here to tell you that it is desirable to get burned from time to time. It counts as a benefit that you can learn so much about people and yourself from these slips. Open yourself up to new experiences, compassion is a way of enriching your world in ways beyond anything you can achieve with selfishness.
Make sure to check out…
Chris’s Website
Chris’s Twitter
Book – The Compassionate Achiever
The Compassionate Achiever Podcast
Book - Universe Single
Book - Joy Lasting Happiness
Book - Give Take Helping Others
