Positive Links Speaker Series: Organizational Compassion: A Relational Approach
Organizational Compassion: A Relational Approach
Ace Simpson
Free, registration required to obtain login information
Online
About the talk:
Compassion is traditionally seen as a response to suffering—an essential reaction that seeks to alleviate distress. But what if compassion could also be a proactive force, anticipating and mitigating suffering before it occurs? This idea introduces a paradox: Can compassion remain genuine when it is planned in advance? How can organizations prepare for suffering that has not yet manifested without losing the authenticity of their compassionate actions?
In this talk, Dr. Ace Simpson, author of Organizational Compassion: A Relational Approach (2024), will explore this paradox at the heart of compassion as a (p)response. Drawing on insights from his latest book, he will discuss how to cultivate a culture of compassion that balances the need for preparedness with the spontaneity required for compassionate action. Attendees will gain practical insights for integrating compassion into organizational design, creating environments that are both caring and high performing.
About Simpson:
Dr. Ace V. Simpson is a researcher, educator, and author, currently serving as the Director of the Center for Compassion Studies in New York. He has held academic positions at UTS Business School in Sydney and, more recently, at Brunel Business School in London, where he was Professor of Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior. Ace’s research focuses on cultivating organizational compassion to address challenges such as discrimination, bullying, and disengagement. He has collaborated with organizations, including the NHS in the UK, to enhance their compassion capabilities. Ace is a member of CompassionLab, a community of scholars studying compassion in organizations, and serves on the research council of Emory University’s Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics. His work has been published in leading journals, including the Academy of Management Review and the Journal of Management. He is the co-author of Positive Organizational Behavior (Routledge, 2019) and Organizational Compassion (Routledge, 2024).
Host:
Monica Worline, Faculty Director, Center for Positive Organizations
Series Sponsors:
The Center for Positive Organizations thanks the Sanger Leadership Center, Tauber Institute for Global Operations, and Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies for their support of the 2024-25 Positive Links Speaker Series.
Series Promotional Partners:
Additionally, we thank Ann Arbor SPARK, the Managerial and Organizational Cognition (MOC) Division of the Academy of Management, and the Organization Development and Change (ODC) Division of the Academy of Management for their Positive Links Speaker Series promotional partnerships.