A centerpiece of the Wisdom 2.0 movement, Wisdom 2.0 Business is an annual conference dedicated to exploring innovation and mindfulness in the workplace. This two-day event, helmed by business leaders and changemakers from across the country, took place this week in New York City.
Wisdom 2.0’s founder, Soren Gordhamer, opened the conference by asking the central question that highlighted the purpose the gathering: “What does it mean to transform business?” In response, the conference speakers provided their own unique answers, offering accessible tips that anyone can apply to transform their everyday lives.
“Candid,” “conversational,” and “refreshingly authentic” are the words that come to mind when I reflect on Sounds True publisher Tami Simon’s discussion with fashion company founder Eileen Fisher and trauma resolution expert Diane Poole. One of the central themes of their talk about work relationships was the importance of quality connections. How do you genuinely connect with people and create deep, lasting impressions? The answer is simple: authenticity and vulnerability.
Eileen and Diane’s tips resonated with me on a personal level. As someone who enjoys making new connections and strengthening existing ones, I’m thankful that Rewire Me’s founder and publisher Rose Caiola gave me the opportunity to attend this conference; otherwise, I would not have had the chance to meet so many interesting and knowledgeable people.
Here are 12 quotes from Wisdom 2.0 business leaders that you can apply to enrich your personal and professional life:
“If I give more, we will all be better off.”
—Adam Grant, Author and Professor at Wharton School
“Meditation can train attention, and therefore compassion.”
— Sharon Salzberg, Author
“In business today you need to have the wisdom of the head and the wisdom of the heart—compassion—to be successful.”
—Lisette Cooper, Founder and CEO of Athena Capital Advisors
“Self-compassion is not selfish. It’s resource building because it’s very hard to give from a place of depletion.”
—Gina LaRoche, Consultant, Facilitator, Coach
“Mindfulness is the ability to know what is happening in your mind at any given time without getting carried away by it.”
—Dan Harris, ABC News anchor and Author
“When your energy is freed up, you can become more involved with your passion and your purpose.”
—Eileen Fisher, Founder of Eileen Fisher
“The more fear you have, the less connection you experience. I want to create a tsunami ripple effect of healthy connections.”
—Diane Poole, Trauma & Attachment Model Expert, Therapist, Author, Trainer
“That ‘you suck’ voice in your head is universal. But if you can learn to disengage from it, you will grow as a businessperson and as a human being.”
—Marie Forleo, Author and Founder of MarieTV
“Compassion is a powerful antidote to one’s destructive emotions.”
—Tsewang Namgyal, Vice President, Bank of Tokyo
“One person can change an organization, but lasting change is never done alone.”
—Golbei Kamarei, Knowledge Strategist & Business Manager, BlackRock Investment
“Compassion emerges when you take someone out of their sense of self and into their sense of worldliness.”
—Jonathan Rose, Founder, Jonathan Rose Companies
“Trust people. They will tell you what you need to hear.”
—Arturo Bejar, Director of Engineering, Facebook
I hope these shared insights can help you rewire to bring greater mindfulness and creativity to your own workplace.
Click here to see Rose’s tips for healthy and happy relationships
