Emanating Compassion: Showing Empathy in Trying Times

Working at the frontlines during a pandemic is a genuine challenge. Prior to social distancing and pandemic protocols, you were only wondering how to balance your working life and your personal life successfully. Suddenly, the lines between these two very different things have blurred. How can we navigate through our circumstances and overcome this kind of hardship?

In this episode, Anne Linsell answers this rhetoric with compassion and empathy. She discusses how organisations should make a real effort to be there for their employees at the right moment. She also talks about how believing and being kinder to yourself can take you to places of success. Similar to competing in a marathon, constantly move towards the things you want to achieve, and you’ll be surprised how many kilometres you have run.

If you want to know more about being compassionate and empathetic at different times and places in your life, this episode is for you.

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:

  1. Discover how Anne managed to compete in marathons, serve as a practitioner and unit head in NHFT and be a wonderful mum all at the same time!
  2. Learn more about the support and assistance organisations can provide their employees, especially during a pandemic.
  3. How can we achieve milestones and make mistakes while also being forgiving of ourselves?

Resources

Episode Highlights

[03:23] Anne’s Marathon Story

  • Anne shares how extremely proud she is to have completed seven marathons over the last ten years.
  • Before realising how she finished a marathon, she would easily find herself training for another.
  • Having a good friend to accompany her during long runs helps her to commit.
  • Coming from a non-sporting background, it took a while for Anne to call herself a runner.

[07:48] For People Who Don’t Believe in Themselves

  • Anne encourages them to believe in themselves and the journey.
  • She discussed how the whole marathon journey had taught her about health and well-being.
  • The process can be scary at first, but you have to still believe in yourself.

[09:59] Working for Northamptonshire Healthcare

  • Since 2006, she has been a part of a team that provides healthcare in her community.
  • Last year, Anne’s team had turned 70 days of physical well-being into a virtual festival using digital platforms.
  • Sometimes, she would get things wrong because the first attempt of learning always fails.
  • However, Anne emphasises the value of the whole journey and hard work to make a difference for their patients and their families.

[13:28] Facing the Pandemic

  • For Anne, the overarching feeling is ‘we are all in it together’; they are ready to go the extra mile to make a difference.
  • Focusing on the well-being of their staff has now become a bigger priority. 
  • She discusses how the importance of being there and displaying your actions makes a whole lot of difference.
  • Helping people to recover means supporting them through reconnecting with them and giving them time and space.
  • Listen to the whole episode to learn more about how Anne views workforce support during the pandemic.

[17:57] What Organisations Need to Do

  • Organisations can help in offering the opportunity for their staff to talk about how they’re feeling.
  • Anne reiterates that saying ‘It’s okay not to be okay’ can only be half of the process.
  • She argues how supporting the staff in moments when they need it is more appropriate.
  • Additionally, Anne recognises how difficult it is for organisations to provide the balance for their team as well.

[21:32] Balancing Motherhood and Working Life

  • Anne shares how it has been a real challenge to be a mum while keeping her career going.
  • As she reflects, she learns how to be kind to herself and not try to be everything to everyone.
  • Additionally, it’s more about being realistic to your expectations and not setting a high one for yourself.
  • The last 5 to 6 years of being a working mum had made Anne realise how compassion for herself is what she needs.
  • Anne allows herself to reflect on things she had achieved.

[28:33] Anne’s Work

  • Anne talks about her thoughts on what drives and motivates her in a kind and supportive manner.
  • The lockdown has overlapped her journey of mastering as an NLP pre-practitioner.
  • She shares that she loves working as a coach because it allows her to support her clients.

[31:14] Anne’s Secret to Success

  • For Anne, the secret to success is the drive to be constantly learning.
  • She quotes Maya Angelou: ‘People won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel’. You don’t know the other person’s story; just be kind and empathetic.
  • Additionally, Anne discusses how people will generally have disagreements.
  • She takes value in offering a safe place to talk to avoid polarisation.

5 Powerful Quotes

[06:44] ‘There’ll be moments when I don’t think I can run a marathon, but a lifetime of knowing I did.”

[08:11] ‘And one of the things that the whole marathon journey has taught me about health and well-being is that the learning, the process and the journey is all part of it.’

[14:23] ‘But it is how we make that difference to supporting that one member of staff just to feel a bit better at work or to feel supported.’

[26:11] ‘…How compassion to self is the start of everything else, and actually, what you need to do to maintain your mental well-being and your mental balance.’

[31:44] ‘You don’t know what’s going on for other people, you’ve got no idea often and you just see the outer side of it. So, just bearing that in mind in terms of just being kind and empathetic and compassionate as you work forward.’

About the Guest

Anne Linsell is the Head of Organisational Development of the Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust since 2014. Previously, she also served as a senior human resources business partner at the same company. 

Anne got her tertiary education from the University of West London. She has a strong background in professional coaching, operational HR management, employee engagement and culture change. Anne has also worked as an NLP practitioner and has been working for the hospital and healthcare industry for quite a long time.

Recently, she has been undergoing personal development in a different field to improve herself.

If you want to get in touch with Anne, you can reach her through Twitter.

Enjoy this Podcast?

During these trying times, you can easily be harsh and rude to yourself. Through Anne’s perspective on taking success slowly and learning constantly, you, too, can be kinder and more compassionate with your progress.

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To meeting inspiration,

Angela