The Compassionate Leader School Podcast

If you're working to set realistic expectations with your team and you want to challenge them in a way that will move them beyond their comfort zone and  gradually get them there, check out this episode of the Compassionate Leader School Podcast. The model of 'Stretch, Risk or Die' can  help you strategize and give you both common language so you can navigate your way through. And if you've got what feels like a lofty goal you'd love to achieve, the model of stretch, risk or die will help you carve out the path to get there. So here we go!

Listening with empathy is a skill we all need if we want to be compassionate communicators. In this episode I talk about how we typically listen and respond autobiographically, when that's okay, and when we need to step up our listening skills and lean in with empathy. Learn about the three worst things to say; and at least three responses that will leave the other person feeling heard, respected and validated every single time. Here we go!

Do you believe that even though there will be challenges and obstacles you'll have to overcome, you will ultimately be successful? Or are you of the mindset that you hope things will go well but you tend to be inconsistent and possibly self-sabotage? You mean well and have a lot of energy when you start but somewhere along the way you lose steam or get discouraged and that leaves you feeling stuck. If that's you, this episode may be the opportunity you've needed to refocus. As always, I share stories of clients who have walked your path once they became willing to fully show up and to be consistent. As Larry the Cable Guy always says, get 'er done!

Which camp do you typically hang out in - camp scarcity or camp abundance? I called my business Abundant Living because I inherently believe in the principle of abundance. In this episode I talk about how I  believe there is enough for everyone and share examples of leaders who reached out to colleagues and competitors alike and asked them to join forces for everyone's benefit. If you tend to slide into thinking it's detrimental to collaborate with others for fear it will result in less for you or your business, I'm encouraging you to give this episode a listen. You just might walk away with a whole different perspective!

Have you ever found yourself in the situation where someone comes to you for help and their version of help is putting their problem in your lap with the expectation you'll now take care of it for them? Well, I've been there - more than once - and learned how to apply a simple technique called the PAR Principle to keep the accountability in their court. Have a listen and learn how this can completely change the way you handle these situations in the future; and how you get to play a key role in helping to build the other person's skills and confidence!

As a follow-up to episode #9, this episode comes back to the topic of setting clear and strong boundaries. Starting with how to know the warning signs when someone is crossing or pushing a boundary, I offer a 4-part formula for dealing with boundary crossers as well as a strategy for having a compassionate conversation with boundary pushers. This is another opportunity to build your skills as a candid and compassionate communicator as well as supporting you in your efforts to cultivate a healthy workplace.

I know...you're wondering what in the heck is "opening your donut" and what does that have to do with compassion resilience? With so many people experiencing fatigue from their jobs and businesses, and trying to avoid total burn-out, there has never been a more critical time to build compassion resilience muscles than now. In this podcast, I talk about this notion of compassion fatigue and share one of the strategies I've cultivated to support my own need for building more compassion resilience as a gift to myself as well as to those I care about.

Do you hunger to be a better communicator, especially with the employees who report directly to you? Drawing from my 35+ years of teaching and working one-on-one with individuals to help them develop and strengthen their interpersonal skills, I've heard the stories of how leaders struggle with giving thoughtful feedback, of providing instructions where the outcome is what they expected, of setting boundaries, of knowing how to ask for what they want, of working to strike the balance between doing what was best for the business and being fair to employee requests, of learning to say “no”, and so much more. In this episode, I begin the process of looking at where you need to start as I take you behind the scenes with Zoe and share how she transformed the way her employees and she communicated in their workplace. 

Do you remember those days when you first started your business and you wished you had someone to talk to, to answer a question, to seek guidance from? Or maybe that's you right now! This episode is an homage to the importance of your role in this village of business owners and provides ideas on how you can get the help you need and be a  champion for a fellow person in business. And if you've never heard of the importance of the 6 Handshakes Rule, have a listen!

This episode is dedicated to the women (although it doesn't exclude the men) who feel out of balance. It's one of the top reasons people come to me for life coaching and it seeps into practically every business coaching session I do with clients. Sharing the journey of a number of my clients, I walk you through the steps I recommend to get started on this path to living a balanced life.  I've also included a list of simple and effective strategies you can implement right away so let's get started!