Hi ,

We don’t hold compassion and accountability together very often or very well. 

We live at a time when believing someone is more than the worst thing about them too often comes at the expense of desperately needed accountability … or when accountability is delivered in the form of public shaming, cancellation or absolute hatred.

Some may argue that those responses are justified based on really horrible behavior… but I wonder if what we can justify isn’t always what serves our purposes best.

Ultimately, we want to see change. We want to see restoration. We want to see fair treatment of all people. We want safety. We want joy.

This is why compassionate accountability is so important. It is critical to hold ourselves and others accountable to integrity. Yes. AND if we want the person being held accountable to actually receive the feedback, to actually grow, to actually learn something and be better for it, we must create an environment safe enough for that vulnerable work to happen.

It is vulnerable and brave to hold someone accountable… and it’s also vulnerable and brave to learn in front of someone.

When I consider the Mindful Improv Thinking value of honoring your scene partner, I can’t think of what could possibly accomplish this better than compassionate accountability. 

Compassionate accountability says “I believe in you enough to tell you the truth” AND “I believe in you enough to approach with sincere curiosity about your perspective.”

In improv we prioritize sincere curiosity. 

We prioritize attentive listening over witty comebacks.

And always, always we prioritize our scene partner over the audience.

That’s perhaps what I love most about compassionate accountability. It is a brave action that is done in service of our scene partners: both the ones being held accountable and the one’s they’ve harmed.

Accountability without compassion gets quick applause from the audience members in our corner. No one actually thinks they’ll shout or shame someone into growth… but boy does it feel good to deliver a scathing dissent and be met with applause from the folks who agree with us.

Compassionate accountability is how we’ll get things done. Big things. Things that create a safer, healthier, more just world for everyone.

Cheering for you as you speak truth to power, receive truth for yourself, and hold all of it with compassion. Thanks for walking with this kind of bravery.

Andrea

PS: If you enjoy reading my Monday Morning notes of Mindful Improv Thinking encouragement, consider inviting other heart-centered people in your life to get them too! Here's where they can sign up. :)

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