UPCOMING COURSES
Wednesday, April 3, 2024, 11 am EST
Modules can be attended individually or as a group
Communication - March 28, 2024 - Module 2 - 1 pm EST
Clarify - April 11, 2024 - Module 3 - 1 pm EST
Champion - April 25, 2024 - Module 4 - 1 pm EST
Commitment - May 9, 2024 - Module 5 - 1 pm EST
Managing Emotions - May 23, 2024 - Module 6 - 1 pm EST
GLOBAL IOC Master Business Coaching Program
TBD
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Igniting Compassion in Self and Clients |
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If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. ~ Dalai Lama
Compassion
Compassion is a fundamental ingredient in human empathy and understanding and includes the ability to recognize the suffering of others and to take action to help alleviate that suffering. It involves empathy, kindness, and a desire to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Cultivating compassion often involves developing qualities such as patience, tolerance, and forgiveness. It can be expressed through small acts of kindness, such as offering a listening ear to someone in need, or through larger efforts, such as volunteering or advocating for social justice issues.
Practicing compassion can have numerous benefits, both for the person showing compassion and for those receiving it. It can strengthen relationships, foster a sense of connection and belonging, and promote overall well-being. Additionally, acts of compassion can contribute to creating a more empathetic and supportive society. Ultimately, compassion is a powerful force for good in the world, promoting understanding, healing, and a sense of shared humanity.
Authors who have written on compassion include Brene' Brown and Mary Beth O’Neil. While Brené Brown is more widely known for her work on vulnerability, shame, and courage, she also addresses the topic of compassion in several of her books, talks, and interviews. Brown emphasizes the importance of compassion as a key component of connection, empathy, and wholehearted living. In her famous TED Talk on vulnerability, Brown distinguishes between empathy and sympathy. She describes empathy as the ability to understand and share the feelings of another, while sympathy involves feeling sorry for someone else's misfortune. Brown emphasizes the importance of empathy in building meaningful connections and fostering compassion.
Mary Beth O'Neill focuses on compassionate leadership and the integration of empathy and understanding in professional contexts. She places emphasis on the importance of compassionate leadership in her coaching approach. In her book "Executive Coaching with Backbone and Heart: A Systems Approach to Engaging Leaders with Their Challenges," she explores how leaders can effectively navigate challenges with both strength and compassion. She advocates for a balanced approach that combines accountability ("backbone") with support and empathy ("heart"). Additionally, O'Neill believes that compassionate leadership involves creating a supportive and inclusive work environment where employees feel valued, respected, and empowered. Finally, she emphasizes the role of empathy in understanding and addressing the needs of team members, fostering trust and collaboration, and driving organizational success.
Self-Compassion
Individuals often find it easier to extend compassion to others yet struggle with compassion for self. Self-compassion refers to treating oneself with kindness, understanding, and acceptance, particularly in times of failure, struggle, or suffering. It involves extending the same level of empathy, support, and care to oneself that one would typically offer to a close friend or loved one facing similar difficulties. Self-compassion encompasses three main components, as proposed by Kristin Neff, which include self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness. Self-Kindness involves being gentle with oneself rather than harshly self-critical. Instead of berating oneself for mistakes or shortcomings, self-kindness encourages responding with warmth, encouragement, and forgiveness. Common Humanity recognizes that imperfection, failure, and suffering are universal experiences shared by all human beings. Finally, Mindfulness involves observing one's thoughts and emotions without judgment, allowing for a balanced perspective on oneself and one's experiences. Mindfulness helps individuals approach their inner experiences with openness and curiosity, without becoming overly identified with negative thoughts or emotions.
A number of authors have written extensively about self-compassion, offering insights, research findings, and practical exercises to cultivate this important aspect of emotional well-being. They include Tara Brach, Sharon Salzberg, Paul Gilbert and Brene' Brown. Tara Brach examined the intersection of mindfulness and self-compassion in her book "Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha." She offers teachings, guided meditations, and personal stories to help readers cultivate self-compassion and acceptance. Sharon Salzberg explored the role of compassion, including self-compassion, in meditation and personal transformation. Her book "Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness" Sharon Salzberg offers teachings and practices for cultivating loving-kindness and compassion toward oneself and others. Paul Gilbert has written extensively about compassion-focused therapy and the importance of self-compassion in mental health. His book "The Compassionate Mind: A New Approach to Life's Challenges" connected the evolutionary and psychological roots of compassion and offers practical exercises for cultivating self-compassion. Finally, Brown delved into the process of overcoming setbacks and failures with compassion and resilience. She emphasizes the importance of self-compassion and empathy in navigating difficult emotions and experiences. Additionally, Brown suggests that self-compassion is a key ingredient to Wholehearted living.
Research suggests that cultivating self-compassion can have numerous psychological and emotional benefits, including reduced levels of stress, anxiety, and depression, increased resilience and coping skills in the face of adversity, greater emotional well-being and satisfaction with life, improved self-esteem and self-confidence, and more satisfying interpersonal relationships.
Practicing self-compassion involves intentionally nurturing a compassionate attitude toward oneself through various techniques such as mindfulness meditation, self-compassion exercises, journaling, and cognitive reframing. By treating oneself with kindness and understanding, individuals can foster greater resilience, well-being, and overall mental health.
For more tools and resources for expanding compassion in your coaching practice, join our complimentary webinar on “The Critical Thinking Partnership in Coaching” on April 3 at 11 AM EST.
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The Global Institute of Organizational Coaching is dedicated to being the global premier provider of coach development programs as we create a bridge between evidence-based theory and coaching practice
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