I am the daughter of an English teacher.  My dad had a wall full of books in his office, and having been born on a farm, a deep love of nature and growing things.  I loved raiding his library, and my favorites were the books of poetry. I especially loved reading Walt Whitman. His beautiful, languid words reminded you to slow down, to observe.  And when I was outside with my dad in his garden, amidst the peas, potatoes and corn, he encouraged me to observe.  To slow down.  To look around and notice the plants and animals around us.  To notice that the world is full of life.   A bird on a branch.  The return of a daffodil blossom.  That mean ‘ol wild turkey that haunted the hill behind the house. I would feel my perception soften and my pulse slow.
 
Last weekend, I sat in my backyard in Portland, watching the tiny finches eat the seeds that plants had so generously held onto.  I went outside because the world is complicated right now.  As a leader, it’s more difficult than ever to lead an organization through the constant change and problem solving.  Because of the uncertainty, it’s easy to just ride the tide of business intensity, never slowing down.  Nature is an antidote to intensity and stress. Just like when I was a kid, when I am outside in nature, time slows, my mind clears, and my pulse decreases. 
 
This wouldn’t be news to our ancestors.  People have always understood the healing that is possible in nature.  The Japanese have a practice of walking in the woods called Forest Bathing.  Research shows that it improves your health. Indigenous people all over the world have practices to seek wisdom by spending time in nature.  Scandinavians have forest schools, which have been shown to improve attention and imagination in children. For data nerds like me, there’s a lot of peer-reviewed research documenting that this actually works – see below in the reading section.
 
As leaders, we need to remember to slow down sometimes and give our nervous system a break. We are human beings – not machines. When we do, our minds are more clear and we are able to access creative thinking that flight-or-flight patterns prevent. When we feel centered, we are better able to show up for our teams as servant leaders.  
 
If I were an infomercial, I would be pitching the positive outcomes of time in nature in a pill for $49.95 – but wait – nature is absolutely free!  Here are five ways you can embed a bit of nature into your day:

1. Schedule 15 minutes outside every day. Sit and watch. What trees do you see? How do the leaves move?  What other life do you see?
2. Spend time every weekend in nature.  Whether it’s gardening, visiting a park, staring at the stars, or walking your dog.  Observe. Listen.  What do you see or hear?
3. If you live in the city, take a walk around the block and look. I lived in Downtown Seattle for a decade. I watched the family of crows, the little plants that miraculously survived in the cracks of the sidewalk, the dance of the pigeons.
4. Do walking meetings.  Instead of sitting in your office, walk around the building.  At my work, we get to see eagles flying in off the Columbia River.  What do you get to see in your area?  Maybe it’s plants or just feeling the breeze.  It’s all welcome. 
5.  Take a vacation in nature.  If you have a vacation or staycation planned, be sure to include time to visit the local flora and fauna.  No matter where you are in the world, nature is glorious. 

Walt Whitman said: “Peace is always beautiful.”  Nature can gift you an inner peace in a world of change. Nature always prevails, is always here, is endlessly evolving.  And to me, it’s endlessly fascinating and endlessly healing. 
 
I am confident it will be for you, too.  Let’s get out there!
 
 
More Reading
 
Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Happiness by Qi Ling
 
Decreased Cortisol Among Hikers who Preferentially Visit and value Diverse Riparian Zones published by Nature
 
3 Ways Getting Outside into Nature Helps Improve your Health published by UC Davis
 
 
And A Soundtrack

California Stars - Billy Bragg
 
It’s a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong at the BBC
 
Sweet Summer Lovin’ – Dolly Parton
 

 I love to write and share my passion for sustainable leadership. Download your copy of my Purpose Power Worksheet, which is designed to connect you with your own unique purpose. 
Or subscribe to get this delivered straight into your inbox! 

Hello everyone! This weekend, I attended an outdoor wedding of the most wonderful couple who are clearly meant for each other.  During the exchange of their vows, compassion was a big theme.  We know that compassion is a major predictor of the success of a personal relationship. The vows helped me remember that compassion is also an important part of leadership, too.
 
What is compassion?  Compassion literally means to suffer together.  In other words, you see the suffering in others and respond with empathy and concern. 
 
We have all had those moments when we have seen a lack of compassion by leaders (Heck, maybe that leader was us). Whether it was a supervisor who didn’t give time off for a family emergency or a coworker who gossiped about something personal, a lack of compassion is can take many forms. A lack of compassion leads to a transactional workplace that lacks imagination and passion for the mission.  That's not a good thing.

In contrast, a workplace with compassionate leaders is expansive, full of possibility and brings out the best in coworkers. A compassionate leader sees the good in others, understands that life brings challenges, and finds ways to creatively resolve the issues that arise from inevitable issues that human beings experience. A compassionate leader listens to understand a person’s suffering and puts themselves in that other person’s shoes.
 
A large body of research supports the importance of compassionate leadership. In addition to significant health benefits, compassion has a significant impact in the productivity of a workplace.  Peer-reviewed research has found that compassionate workplaces have less employee emotional exhaustion and lower absenteeism. The Toyota Production System, which has resulted in the most productive workplaces in the world, embraces respect for people.  It is deeply rooted in the desire "to do things for others."  The Toyota Production System, which has resulted in the most productive workplaces in the world, embraces respect for people.  It is rooted in a desire to “do things for others.”
 
 What can you do to embed compassion in your leadership?
 
Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Keep your eyes out for colleagues who are suffering at work and take action to help.
• Have big ears and a little mouth – learn to become an active listener.
• Show appreciation and gratitude for someone’s contribution by letting them know.
• When things don’t go right, ensure that the person is given feedback in a way that is focused on their growth.
• Work on having compassion for those who you don’t see every day – maybe another department or someone in a call center.
• Develop compassion for yourself, too. We are all learning.

 
Here what I am reading:

• Leading with Compassion has Research Backed Benefits from Harvard Business Review. 
• Whither Compassionate Leadership?  A Systematic Review from the NIH 
• The Center for Compassionate Leadership’s listing of the latest research 

 
I hope you have a wonderful day and find ways to express compassion to yourself and others.  I am a lifelong learner and will be working at it right along with you.
 
All My Best,
Brenna


I love to write and share my passion for purpose driven leadership. Download your copy of my Purpose Power Worksheet, which is designed to connect you with your own unique purpose. 
Or subscribe to get this delivered straight into your inbox! 

(c) Brenna Davis, 2025 - All Rights Reserved 

On Saturday, I spent time with my husband and dogs to walk some hiking trails a few miles from our home. Haakon got little Momo into his blue and rainbow harness, and his mom, Moka into her cute pink harness that shines against her caramel-colored coat.  We wound our way through the trees, over roots and along the shrub-lined trail.  The sun dropped dappled light through the canopy of Douglas fir trees and onto the tangled chaos of the underbrush. Moka, part chihuahua, papillon and hound, stopped at every new smell, which meant I had plenty of time to stop and listen. As I stood there, birds of every kind sang a riot of songs – so many and so happy.  They were celebrating the sun, which was finally out after weeks of dull, grey rain.  The birds were a reminder to enjoy and celebrate.  A reminder that as leaders, we need to take the time to slow down, savor the victory and celebrate!  

But how many leaders don’t?  It’s easy to forget to celebrate and move on to the next thing when your plate is overloaded. I understand because I am not perfect. I have not always recognized the right moments to celebrate. Sometimes, I have just overlooked them without noticing.  But now, more and more, I relish those moments. They’re a powerful connector for teams.

Angeles Arrien, the legendary cross-cultural anthropologist, wrote a lot about love, including about platonic love at work.  She learned in her research that there are six ways we express love cross-culturally around the world. They are called the Arms of Love: gratitude, acceptance, recognition, validation, laughter and play.  The more these qualities are present, the more loved we feel.  A celebration is a team ritual made up of all six of those things. It’s powerful.
 
What are some ways to celebrate? Here are a few ideas:

• Say something.  At a most basic level, just pointing out an accomplishment can help someone feel recognized and validated for their work.
• Have dinner together.  Whether it’s in a fancy restaurant or a backyard BBQ, the time together is what matters. Be sure to take a moment to note why you’re celebrating together.
• Write a thank you card.  When you see someone do something worth celebrating, send a card.
• Get someone a gift.  It can be a small gift card or something thoughtful that reminds you of the person.

 
If this topic resonates with you, there are a lot of good reads about the importance of celebration at work. Here’s what I am reading:

• Why Companies Need Ceremonies by Patti Sanchez for Harvard Business Review. 
• The Power of Celebrating Success in the Workplace by Frayda Liebtag for Forbes
• Celebrate to Win by Whitney Johnson for Harvard Business Review

This week savor every moment, listen to the birds and remember to celebrate! I will, too.
 
All My Best,
Brenna

I love to write and share my passion for purpose driven leadership. Download your copy of my Purpose Power worksheet, which is designed to connect you with your own unique purpose. 
Or subscribe to get this delivered straight into your inbox!