The Five Faces of Compassion: the Hidden Well-Being Costs for Managers who Prioritize Compassion for Others Over Themselves

Abstract The assumption that compassion is invariably beneficial overlooks the hidden costs managers incur when their care for others outpaces their care for themselves. While organisations frequently encourage outward expressions of compassion, the role of self-compassion in sustaining managerial well-being remains understudied. Using a person-centred latent profile approach, we surveyed 404 managers to identify common self- vs. other compassion configurations (or profiles) and to determine how these profiles differ in respect of work-related flourishing. Five distinct compassion configurations emerged: (1) Self-Critical Caregivers (very high other-compassion, low self-compassion), (2) Balanced Professiona ls (high on both), (3) Ambivalent Responders (moderate on both), (4) Compassionate Leade rs (very high on both), and (5) Conflicted Altruists (very high other-compassion with variable self-compassion). The findings reveal that compassion may function as a double-edged sword. Managers who combined high self-compassion with high other-directed compassion reported the highest flourishing. Conversely, Self-Critical Caregivers who showed strong compassion toward others but minimal self-compassion reported the lowest well-being. These patterns challenge the widespread belief that more compassion is universally beneficial. Instead, they suggest that extending care to others without also caring for oneself is associated with lower well-being. For practice, the results suggest that organisations cannot sustainably promote compassionate management by focusing solely on outward empathy. Interventions must address both dimensions simultaneously, because compassionate leadership is unlikely to be sustainable when managers are trained to care for others while remaining harsh, critical, or neglectful toward themselves. Only through this balanced approach can organisations support managers who are both effective in their care for employees and resilient in maintaining their own well-being.