Dedicated to everyone looking to have more happiness in their life. Here are some tips for a compassionate workplace from Dalai Lama. #OutsideWork
“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”
– Dalai Lama
Throughout my life, I’ve been captivated by the Dalai Lama. His presence is unlike any other I’ve encountered. I vividly recall my first meeting with him; I was utterly awestruck. The only other time I felt such overwhelming joy was my inaugural visit to Disney World. Clearly, there’s an aura surrounding this man that has drawn people for years.
The Dalai Lama, a beacon of peace and compassion, offers a simple message: love, compassion, and enlightenment. To foster personal happiness, let’s prioritize compassion.
According to research from Stanford’s School Of Medicine and The Center For Compassion & Altruism Research:
- Dalai Lama has said that the problems of the world — social, economic, environmental, and so on — are best understood and viewed through the lens of compassion. Compassion and empathy inspire altruism, bringing us lasting happiness and peace.
Compassion can be defined as:
Compassion is an emotion characterized by a sense of shared suffering, often accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate or reduce the pain of another. Moreover, it involves showing special kindness to those who are experiencing hardships. As it arises from empathy, compassion frequently transitions into tangible actions of kindness aimed at easing another’s suffering.
The benefits are great and range across a wide spectrum but here are some highlights:
- It makes you happy and I mean really, really happy
- It (can) make you more attractive
- It uplifts those around you
- It’s contagious (in a great way)
- It boosts health and longevity
- It improves your mood
- It provides you more time
Compassionate workplace tips: So how do you go about doing that?
I researched and compiled an excellent list of beliefs and teachings the Dalai Lama practices so that you can begin to incorporate them into your every day life and start cultivating more happiness.
Be compassionate in your workplace
You can show compassion by first understanding the person’s feelings and emotions. This involves talking to them and actively trying to share in what they are going through. Furthermore, compassion requires more effort than a simple act of kindness because it calls for emotional involvement. In addition, being compassionate means asking what kind of help is genuinely needed. Whether it’s a sick friend, someone dealing with job loss, a family member in pain, or even a stranger in need, you can consistently apply this principle of compassion.
Be kind and help others in your workplace
Being kind and generous costs little and the benefits you gain in happiness are considerable. That was the conclusion that Michael Norton and colleagues at the Harvard Business School came to, after doing some very interesting research. The volunteers who gave away some money were happier than those who had spent it on themselves.
Seek happiness through prioritizing your values.
The Dalai Lama pointed out that we are constantly bombarded with messages about material possessions every day, all day. In contrast, there are very few messages emphasizing the importance of forgiveness, compassion, patience, tolerance, and kindness.You really have to give those values top priority in order to be happy. Start to collect evidence of the good that is out there everyday through witnessing others actions as well as being mindful of the company you keep.
Compassionate workplace tips: Stand up against injustice
The Dalai Lama draws a clear distinction between being compassionate and being passive. His three pillars of an “equitable society” include fairness, transparency and accountability, and when dealing with injustice, these values often require action. We don’t accomplish change by simply offering our sympathy to victims — we have to step up and prepare to be their voices, offer aid in a way that they find helpful, and search for the root of corruption so that it can be addressed and transformed. He considers it the “muscular” side of compassion.
Nurture your friendships.
Friendships, though often undervalued, require tender loving care to flourish. Consequently, when nurtured, they can generate trust and affection, forming bonds that remain independent of material or political factors. However, if neglected, friendships can lead to loneliness, which, in turn, becomes a significant risk factor for depression.
Compassionate workplace tips: Discover inner peace.
The Dalai Lama advises everybody to spend a little time alone each day. Time to reflect and chase away the negative thoughts such as anger, resentment, jealousy, and tiredness. Try to replace those with positive emotions such as optimism, gratitude, love, and peace. He believes that the truly calm mind is the source of happiness and good health.
Make humanity the bottom line of business.
Science tells us money isn’t the key to happiness, so why should we live by an economic structure that enables that idea? The Dalai Lama takes this truth a bit further to explain that in order for businesses to accomplish effective social good, they must consider the well-being of every citizen of the world as opposed to a small group of stakeholders. He believes that we need to reframe how we perceive profits, wealth and success to include this sense of global altruism. Businesses can only become a force for good when they trade self-interest for compassion and use their talents and impact to reduce financial inequality rather than make it worse.
Compassionate workplace tips: Don’t allow technology to run (or ruin) your life.
Although the Dalai Lama has millions followers on social media and he admires the advances in technology in helping us to communicate, he nevertheless warns against its overuse as it can control your life. He goes on to comment about people in restaurants using their cell phones while sitting across from each other dismissing the opportunity to connect. He continued with asking, “who is in charge? You or the technology?” – something worth considering the next time you whip out your phone while speaking to another individual. In the end, it’s a poor substitute for real friendship and cannot help you to be compassionate.
Always lend a helping hand.
Oftentimes the best way to employ your intelligence, compassion and talent is to invest it in someone who really needs your help. The Dalai Lama explains how this task will likely be an uncomfortable one, pushing you to limits you’ve never experienced before, but that’s one of the ways you know you’re making a true impact. For us to act as a cohesive, unified body, we must stand up for those who are defenseless, disabled, impoverished or disadvantaged in ways beyond their control.
Executive Coaching for Authentic Leadership Development
The Dalai Lama’s teachings on compassion and inner peace align with authentic leadership, making executive coaching a key tool for integrating these values. By fostering self-awareness and emotional intelligence, coaching helps leaders create inclusive, compassionate workplaces that inspire collaboration, innovation, and well-being.
Final thoughts:
These beliefs and practices can be done anywhere, any time. It may not be easy at first and require intentionality on your part but once you can shift your attitude with practice, you will start to see a change. The most important thing is to connect with the aspiration to become more compassionate, and to nurture that aspiration within yourself, again and again. This is truly all about the journey and daily practice versus a final destination. He went on to say:
Happiness isn’t something you “have” or “haven’t,” but rather a state of being that can actually be practiced and conditioned, like any hobby or sport.
In the end, true compassion knows no boundaries, and that’s why the Dalai Lama believes it is the one component within every human being that can change the world if acted upon.
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I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below:
What brings you happiness?
With leadership,
Joshua
*****
Not-your-typical Personal and Executive Master Certified Coach.
Joshua Miller is a creative and impactful leader. His career experience has spanned both the advertising world and the world of leadership and organizational development. To learn more about Joshua, please visit www.JoshHMiller.com
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