Sep 1, 2020
Dr. Nathan Regier proudly welcomes Laurel Donnellan to today’s episode. Laurel shares some of her vast experience in the field of compassion, highlighting the importance of boundaries and the vulnerability required to be the recipient of a compassionate act. Laurel explains how compassion is for the giver as much as it is for the receiver, being compassionate is intrinsically enjoyable and rewarding. Listen to Laurel and Nate and get some valuable tips about how to bring more compassion to your workplace, starting with a mindful practice self-compassion.
Laurel Donnellan is the founder and CEO of Compassionate Leaders Circle where she leads initiatives and career transformations, leadership mastery, and coaching with compassion. She has created programs designed to create an impact on individuals and organizations, including Cornell University, Toyota, Disney, Viacom, and New York city board of education. Laurel has an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and an MA in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University. In addition to her formal education, she has immersed herself in learning the ancient Native American Vision Quest tradition and is a certified yoga instructor through the Omega Institute. Laurel’s approach to change integrates compassion, curriculum, coaching, and contemplative practices. She has designed customized learning from business schools, internal corporate universities, high schools, ashrams, and even in a prison. Laurel is the author of several books including Born to Do: The Practical Guide to Loving Your Work and has been featured on NPR. Laurel had the opportunity to work with executives in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Laurel currently writes about compassionate leadership on Forbes.
Key Takeaways:
[2:50] Laurel shares the basics of properly brewing tea.
[4:37] Laurel shares special anecdotes from her work in an ashram and a prison.
[7:44] Laurel offers her definition of compassion: Preventing or alleviating suffering.
[9:00] The fine line between alleviating suffering and creating dependent relationships.
[12:38] Laurel talks about a moment in her life when she received compassion.
[14:40] How does Laurel take care of herself?
[16:58] Laurel shares a time when she initiated compassion and ended up being the beneficiary.
[20:10] Giving and receiving compassion.
[22:10] Laurel shares the story of the Compassionate Leaders Circle.
[24:41] Laurel talks about her work at Forbes writing on compassionate leadership.
[28:59] Find your personal purpose.
[29:45] Laurel delivers some useful tips to bring compassion to their workplace and to become compassionate leaders.
[31:35] You should start with self-compassion.
[32:33] Laurel talks about her greatest concern about the planet.
[35:00] It is not enough to do things locally, we have to think globally.
[35:15] Lightning round.
[38:59] Nate’s top 3 takeaways from this wonderful conversation with Laurel.
Mentioned in this episode:
Email Laurel at laureldonnellan@gmail.com
Tweetables:
“We are all the same, but some have more privileges than others.” #oncompassion #weareone #community
“To be compassionate sometimes we have to take extra steps, especially when someone is suffering.” #oncompassion #compassion #compassionateleaders
“When we experience empathy, it fires the pain centers of the brain, but when we practice compassion it fires the reward centers of the brain.” #oncompassion #empathy #compassion #reward
“Compassion won’t take place until someone is vulnerable enough to be able to receive it.” #oncompassion #vulnerability #giveandreceive