Your team lacks empathy and understanding. How can you use mindfulness to cultivate a culture of compassion?

People often use logic to make decisions based on their more irrational emotions. The best example is to speak from personal experience and to back position with facts to follow. Serve all people's instincts inherit in every human.

Having empathy requires being able to step outside of only one viewpoint and view from another's perspective. Mindfulness of the fact that everyone has feelings, emotions, past experiences, thoughts and opinions is a great starting point to getting people who are unpracticed in feeling empathy in the work environment. Leaders need to remember that our culture values competition which creates separateness. I have used the following practice in my career and with all my team members over the years. Say to yourself when triggered or angry--"Just like me, this person is trying their best. Just like me, this person is scared" Getting people to understand that we all have the same type of emotions is the first step in developing empathy.

My favourite definition of Empathy is from Marshall Rosenberg, the Founder of Non Violent Communication. In its essence, empathy is the quality of connection that we have with another being, and honesty is the quality of connection that we have with ourselves. We all need to be listened to with empathy and compassion, and as leaders, it is our duty to offer the same to the people we lead. Regularly practicing loving kindness and compassion has helped me cultivate deeper levels of empathy. For anyone looking to develop more empathy in their lives, I would highly recommend the "Meditation on Twin Hearts" by Master Choa Kok Sui, the founder of Pranic Healing. Message me and we can do this meditation together.

We can't be empathetic, open, and curious when we are stressed. The trouble is that we've created a psychologically illiterate, toxic, individualistic social environment that's fuelling disengagement, unfairness, stress and burnout. This is because we've bought into a belief that success is a measure of our self-worth and that success is down to our individual efforts. How do we change this? We can use mindfulness to regulate our stress, but we need to go one further step to change workplace culture. We need to apply mindfulness to the way we relate to each other: how it feels good when we are curious about what is going on for others, and how it feeds stress when we put ourselves first at the expense of others. That's #socialmindfulness

Empathy alone can lead to compassion burn out. Empathy, the ability to perceive the emotional world of the other, means that one has become intimate with their own emotional world. In order for this to facilitate an encounter of growth, empathy needs to be accompanied by unconditional positive regard, an acceptance of the other, which doesn't mean agreeing. This takes a healthy self-awareness of one’s own light and dark parts. Lastly, congruence, being honest and transparent with one self and then with the other. Without the integration of unconditional positive regard and congruence, empathy might fall short in facilitating a culture of compassion. Mindfulness, may assist a person in cultivating these inner qualities.

Mindful communication is key for a team to function in a healthy way. However it's important to gage the energy level of your team because fatigue, mental/emotional stress, & physical ailments can all prevent mindful behavior to be integrated as a way of life. When your energy is down, you naturally feel more irritable, sensitive, provocative with less patience & tolerance - that is when communication breaks down even if we have all the techniques to mindful communication styles. Compassion & understanding of each other's circumstances can alleviate any miscommunication in the team.

We can't listen and analyse at the same time. The only way to lean how to switch off our problem solving mind is to switch attention from thinking to explore feelings and be curious about what we see and the quality of sounds we hear. It's difficult to do this without practicing mindfulness meditation because it's only when we start to practice mindfulness meditation that we can even see that it's possible to consciously redirect attention from thinking to feeling and sensing. Then we need to combine the insight we gain from mindfulness practice with structured conversational routines, that remind us to notice the impulse to analyse, give our opinion, or give advice; and STOP ourselves! These two skills are the core of #socialmindfulness

Before I engage with colleagues, I start with an emotional check-in, a body scan bring my attention to my breath, and identify my emotions. Then, I assess if it’s the right time for a conversation based on my feelings and I read the room to ensure others are ready too. This practice has helped me build rapport with students and colleagues. Mindful communication also helps me to parent my teen son while strengthening our bond. Most times, before discussing concerns with him, I check my emotions and observe his cues. If something feels off, I wait, unless it’s urgent. I avoid difficult conversations before he starts his day or goes to bed to ensure his well-being. Mindful communication is a powerful tool for fostering strong relationships.

For mindful communication to be sustainable, one has to be mindful of the inter- and intra- personal emotional flows. Many years of meditation are not enough, it is also many years of training and therapy, that help translate the deep emotional understanding into words.

We cannot communicate mindfully unless we are present in the moment and in our bodies. We also need to be aware of our thought patterns, cognitive distortions and biases. We must be centered in ourselves and in a neutral state to communicate mindfully- and this takes time and understanding of our own and each other’s stressors and personalities and work styles.

Remember that there’s a difference between emotional intelligence and emotional maturity. It’s one thing to be able to name your emotions, hold space for and name others’ emotions, and try to work through them. It’s quite another to know where and when is the appropriate time and place to express those emotions based off of your environment and the people in it, and setting boundaries around that in response. Both are necessary in cultivating a safe and compassionate work environment.

Emotional intelligence is understanding and managing emotions. It's recognizing emotions in yourself and others. High EI helps navigate workplace relationships. It improves decision-making. Start by building self-awareness. Notice your emotional reactions. Understand your triggers. Practice self-regulation. Don't let emotions control your actions. Develop social awareness. Read the room. Pick up on emotional cues. Use empathy to understand others' feelings. Improve relationship management. Handle conflicts constructively. Inspire and influence others positively. Emotional intelligence fosters a more harmonious team. It leads to better collaboration and results.

Emotional intelligence (EI) involves recognizing and managing both your own emotions and those of others. Mindfulness can significantly enhance EI by equipping you with the ability to observe emotions without becoming overwhelmed. Encouraging your team to practice mindfulness techniques, like deep breathing or pausing before reacting, can help regulate emotional responses effectively. As the team’s emotional intelligence improves, empathy becomes a more natural part of interactions. This leads to more compassionate decision-making and stronger, more supportive relationships within the team.

Una de las bases sobre las que se asienta la inteligencia emocional es la capacidad de observar e identificar las propias emociones sin sentirse arrastrado por ellas. Es esta capacidad de ver nuestras dinámicas internas la que nos permite no solo entender mejor al otro y las situaciones sino también sentir mayor compasión, al darnos cuenta de las emociones y la humanidad común que hay detrás de las conductas de los demás que pudiese en un principio parecer inadecuadas. La práctica del mindfulness, la atención plena, esa capacidad de mirar para dentro y observar sin juicio, con una actitud atenta y curiosas momento a momento es la herramienta para poder identificar y comprender nuestras propias emociones y ser más compasivos con mayor IE.

Es importante aprender a gestionar tus emociones desde la mente y el cuerpo, para ello aplicar una atención plena de emociones y pensamientos, saber acompa?arse en la incomodidad y aprender sobre regulación del sistema nervioso para responder y no reaccionar.

Shared experiences build team bonds. They create common ground. Plan team-building activities. These could be work-related or social. Volunteer together for a cause. This builds empathy and perspective. Share personal stories in team meetings. This humanizes team members. Create mentoring or buddy systems. This encourages knowledge sharing. Celebrate successes together. Acknowledge individual and team achievements. Face challenges as a united front. This builds resilience and trust. Shared experiences create shared memories. They foster a sense of belonging. They help team members see each other as whole people, not just coworkers.

We humans have created rituals from the dawn of time; to create a sense of collective identity and let go of our differences. Mindfulness meditation has become a thing because clinical trials showed that it reduced stress and depression in world where meaning has been reduced to individual success. Researchers are now finding that the benefit of a mindfulness programmes comes from a combination of mindfulness meditation and coming together in a group. The popularisation of mindfulness meditation provides the perfect practice for a contemporary, secular ritual; cultivating a sense of belonging, restoring the value of humanness, and the psychological safety we need to create an inclusive, wellbeing, performance culture at work.

Having rituals of practicing short guided mindfulness together can be a good activity to start the meeting. Oftentimes, we are scurrying from place to place and rushing to meetings to jump into the meeting agenda. We need time to decompress and slow down. Mindfulness practice, guided or just a timed self-practice for 5 minutes, can help everyone to re-orient and ground themselves before the meeting starts.

In the ever-evolving landscape of leadership, one term has emerged as a guiding philosophy that not only transforms the way we lead but also nurtures a workplace culture rooted in empathy, authenticity, and productivity. That term is "mindful leadership." directs leaders toward a more conscious, compassionate, and connected way of leading. It's a beacon that illuminates the path to harmonious workplaces, engaged teams, and sustainable success. In this exploration of mindful leadership, we delve into its definition and its significance within the modern workplace. We will journey through real-world examples of leaders who epitomize this mindful approach, unraveling their impact on organizations and individuals.

There are many ways to develop patience. A perspective that has worked for me is rooted in mindfulness and faith in the unknown. When we desire things to happen in a certain way and they don't, we get frustrated and impatient. But when we allow things to happen, in the way that they are meant to, we tend to be more patient and allow for the unknown to manifest. Sometimes its hard to let go and trust the process, and if you can't let go, atleast try and hold lightly!

It is important to understand that patience is often not a virtue when it comes to the workplace. There are often many layers of stress that are at play in any given interaction with colleagues. Mindfulness of the pressures that everyone is under can help depersonalize conflict and lead to the natural arising of compassion with the knowledge that everyone is trying to do their best. This understanding can also defuse the sense of immediacy, enabling a brief step back before re-engaging a challenge with greater empathy for all.

Patience is not developed out of our mindfulness practice, or only during our mindfulness period. Mindfulness is about being aware of our daily life moments. Interactions and relationships with people definitely provide many materials for working with patience. As we are able to practice and cultivate Patience in our relationships with people, our team members can pick up on this and learn to model patience in their own ways too.

Cultivating patience begins with ourselves. When unplanned challenges arise, be mindful of your triggers and responses. By staying calm, focused, and present, you will show your team how to respond and not react in stressful situations.

Besides mindfulness practice, there are also distinct practices, such as Cultivating loving kindness and compassion, that we can mix into our mindfulness practice. Those who learn about Mindfulness in structured training will naturally learn about Lovingkindness. Having friendliness and goodwill helps us connect with our team members as fellow human beings, not just a number, an employee number. Empathy and compassion naturally arise when we connect with one another as human beings.

One cannot fake compassion. Compassion is not a set of behaviours or competencies; it is a quality. While some may have more compassion than others, it can be cultivated by mindful practice or meditation. It's funny that when I ask people which body part comes to mind when they think of compassion, they all say the "Heart." Esoterically speaking, yes, compassion arises from the heart chakra. So, to be a compassionate leader, one has to have a developed and large heart chakra. The first step you can take to further develop your heart chakra is to forgive people who have hurt you and ask for forgiveness from people you have hurt. This act of forgiveness is key to unlocking the power of compassion within you. Truly, love is the answer!

Considero que un liderazgo basado en la compasión, no está completo sino te incluye a tí mismo (te lideras con autocompasión?). Y debería considerar, utilizando el mindfulness como herramienta: reconocer la situación , aceptar sin juicio lo que es, indagar con amabilidad lo que ha ocurrido y finalmente nutrir con compasión .

It requires actively listening, showing empathy, and offering support when needed. As a leader, it's important to create a safe and supportive environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment. When a team member comes to you with a concern or issue, take the time to fully listen and understand their perspective without interrupting or offering immediate solutions. Model compassionate behaviour by demonstrating empathy, understanding, and kindness towards your team members in your interactions. Introduce mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing exercises or meditation to your team to help them become more self-aware and compassionate towards themselves and others.

You set the culture for your team and organization. When you embody empathy, compassion, and mindfulness, your team will feel safe and empowered to follow your lead in their interactions with each other and others.

Does your team struggle with constant negativity, bias, judgmental thinking, uncompassionate communication, misunderstandings, or difficulty in reaching goals together as one team? This "noise" in communication and body language can be a red flag for a lack of empathy. When team members don't understand each other's thoughts and feelings, it creates noise in the environment that hinders progress. Research shows mindfulness practices can significantly foster empathy and self-leadership. By integrating mindfulness workshops or programs, leaders and HR can support teams to unNOise the internal and external distractions, allowing them to work with poise and cultivate a mindset characterized by openness, compassion, and empathy.

In a world driven by targets and deadlines, empathy often takes a backseat. But imagine a workplace where every interaction is infused with genuine understanding and compassion. Mindfulness is the key. Integrate mindfulness practices into daily routines: start meetings with guided breathing, and encourage mindful listening. Foster genuine curiosity by encouraging your team to truly understand each other’s perspectives. When leaders model this behavior, it sets a powerful example. Create spaces for mindfulness practice, like quiet rooms or meditation sessions. By promoting mindfulness, we cultivate empathy and genuine curiosity, transforming colleagues into a connected, compassionate community.

all the points mentioned above are useful on this journey towards a higher level of understanding and empathy among team members. in my experience, some of the ways to work towards this are as below *Shared experiential workshops for the entire team to have a common understanding and commitment towards goals in this context, *leaders embodying empathy and compassion in their day-to-day interactions, *acknowledging team members for the same are some ways to work towards the same. It's a journey of change towards higher empathy and understanding. taking baby steps and celebrating small wins rather than expecting changes quickly.

By doing these simple things, you'll create a space where everyone feels comfortable talking, listening, and learning from each other. Teamwork, not me-work: Do volunteer work together or take a silly improv class. These activities break the ice and help you see each other as real people, not just coworkers. Listen up!: In meetings, truly listen to each other. Make eye contact and ask questions to understand where everyone's coming from. Be open and honest: Share your own struggles and celebrate your teammate's wins. This creates a safe space for open communication and understanding. Lead with kindness: Mistakes happen! Be understanding, offer support, and celebrate everyone's strengths.

Si al equipo le falta empatía y comprensión lo primero que haría es comprobar si es por una cultura empresarial, o porque son así y son personas sin alma. Si fuera por lo primero, manos a la obra para solucionar el ambiente lo antes posible. Si fuera lo segundo, pues no quedaría que despedirlos, incluido al CEO.