Season 2: How to Mainstream Mindfulness and Operationalize Compassion. An interview with Scott Shute
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Welcome to Season 2 of the Handle with Care: Empathy at Work podcast!
Empathy matters. It isn’t just some squishy personality trait, it is a set of skills and a capacity for connection that you can develop, if you have the desire. And that is what Season 2 is all about. I am going to introduce you, in each episode, to a leader that is purposefully building connection and engagement at work. They will share best practices, the ways that have grown and their occasional failures.
My guest today is Scott Shute. Scott is the Head of Mindfulness and Compassion at LinkedIn, which is this great role that sits at the intersection of ancient wisdom traditions and a technology company. He is also an avid photographer, a musician, and, most recently, a published author.
His book, “The Full Body Yes” launched in the middle of May. His mission is to change work from the inside out by “mainstreaming mindfulness” and “operationalizing compassion.”
You can find the Handle with Care: Empathy at Work podcast on Google Play, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. And you can listen to our conversation here…
Scott is also an avid photographer; you can find more of his images on his website (linked below)
Here are three key takeaways from my conversation with Scott…
Practice micro-compassions today. Asking a colleague about their life outside of work, connecting with a smile or small talk. These moments of connection are incredibly powerful.
Compassion is a competitive advantage for companies, especially in today’s knowledge economy where people have options and are, as Scott noted, voting with their feet. What are you doing to create a culture where compassion, this empathy-in-action, is given and received regularly?
I like how Scott broke down what compassion looks like at work. He described it as “How should I act at work if my grandma or if someone that I loved most in the world worked here?” This is a good guiding sentiment for the day.