The role of compassion

- Hi, there, Darrell from Chill. Compassion and mindful leadership. Compassion loosely defined is sympathetic regard for others experiencing challenge or hardship. Whether you lead a team, a cohort, a family or a friend group, or simply lead yourself, concern for those that you work with or lead promotes trust. Trust, as we know, is the cornerstone of any healthy relationship, and this rings true in the work relationship as well. Compassion arises from being present and actively listening. Active listening involves more than the ability to hear. It is also listening not only to the words, but the tone of the words, the body language that's holding the words, and other nonverbal cues that give you the full experience of what's being shared. Today's practice will focus on a listening exercise promoting active listening, compassion, and establishing greater trust as you lead going forward. So, let's get started. Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, welcome the eyes to gently fall closed. Another deep breath in with the eyes closed. Open mouth exhale. One more slow, exaggerated breath together. Exhaling and allowing your breathing to return to whatever feels easy and normal. Letting your attention and awareness anchor on the body for a moment, feeling the position you've chosen to be in, and noticing if there's any unconscious holding or twisting in the body, a lifting of the shoulders, a clenching of the jaw. See if you can loosen, open, and soften any area that feels held, tight, or twisted. Let your attention come now to the center of the chest and welcoming the sensation of the heartbeat to hold your awareness as you take another few breaths in and out. Breathing in, feeling the sensations of the heartbeat. Breathing out, feeling the sensations of the heartbeat. Oftentimes associated with the heart is the idea of compassion and generosity. So, as you focus your physical heart in your attention and awareness field, also open to the compassionate heart. And call into mind now the last conversation you had today. Whether it was over the phone, maybe even a video conference call, or you were in the same room with someone, practice actively listening. Not only hearing the content, the data that was spoken by the other person. Can you become aware of the tone of their voice, the expression on their face, the position of their arms and other body movements and cues? Feel free to play this short bit of dialogue and conversation over a few times, seeing what else you notice, what else comes into your awareness along with the words and the data that they expressed. A nice full breath in, and as you exhale now, allow your attention to go to a conversation that was easy. One that you enjoyed having, whether it was professional or personal. And once again, not only be aware of the other person and what they shared, but notice how you showed up. How were you listening? Was it simply the words that this person spoke that were enjoyable, or was there something else in the experience that added to the pleasure, to the enjoyment of the exchange? Another easy breath in, and with this exhale, let this conversation fall away and welcome one more into your own awareness. One that was challenging, One that was difficult. Take note of the words, the actual dialogue, and expand awareness to the tone, the body language. Actively listen and extend a compassionate heart to whatever is being shared from this individual to you. Offer a compassionate heart to yourself. Another deep breath in, and as you exhale, letting go of these dialogues and conversations. Letting awareness come back to the physical heart, feeling it subtly yet steadily beating. Welcoming awareness to the hands, feeling them in the lap. The sounds of your environment. Closing today's practice with one more full breath in together, breathing in through the nose. Open mouth exhale. Slowly blinking the eyes open, returning into your day, a little bit more compassionate and a little bit more mindful as a leader.