Dr. Rachelle C. Sampson - Breaking Patterns, Building Vision: Psychedelics in Executive Coaching
Sep 16, 2024
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Dr. Rachelle C. Sampson, an executive coach and professor at the University of Maryland, shares her transformative insights on psychedelics in leadership. She reveals key findings from the Connected Leadership Project, revealing how psilocybin experiences can enhance decision-making and creativity in executives. The conversation explores the emotional dynamics of corporate change and the significance of a compelling vision in sustainability. Dr. Sampson underscores the interconnectedness of personal healing and its profound impact on professional environments.
Psychedelic experiences can enhance creativity and emotional openness in business leaders, fostering improved decision-making in complex situations.
The Connected Leadership Project reveals that psilocybin retreats can transform executives' approach to sustainability and equity in their organizations.
Community and peer support are vital for sustaining the positive changes in leadership behavior initiated by psychedelic experiences.
Deep dives
Psychedelics and Leadership Decisions
The intersection of psychedelics and leadership is explored, focusing on how psychedelic experiences can influence business executives' decision-making processes. Research shows that psychedelics can enhance creativity, emotional openness, and mental flexibility, which are essential for navigating today's complex business landscape. By examining the cognitive changes brought about by psychedelics, the study seeks to determine if they lead to broader considerations in decision-making, such as addressing long-term sustainability issues rather than short-term profits. This could shift leaders' focus from merely satisfying investors to also considering their employees and community impacts.
The Connected Leadership Project
The Connected Leadership Project aims to investigate the effects of psychedelics on leadership, particularly in enhancing decision-making and fostering a sense of connectedness among leaders. The project involves executives participating in retreats where they engage in psilocybin experiences, followed by a long-term tracking of their behavioral changes and decision-making processes. Preliminary results suggest that experiences during these retreats can lead to significant shifts in how leaders prioritize their business practices, often prompting them to rethink strategies towards sustainability and equity. This research represents an innovative approach to understanding how personal experiences can drive professional transformation within organizations.
Challenges of Implementing Change
The podcast highlights the systemic challenges executives face when trying to implement meaningful changes within their organizations, even when there is a genuine interest in pursuing sustainability and equity. Factors such as time scarcity, short-term compensation structures, and a traditional focus on immediate returns hinder progress. Additionally, executives are often caught in a paradox where they are motivated to embrace long-term visions but find themselves overwhelmed by day-to-day operational pressures. This dichotomy illustrates the inherent complexity of changing organizational culture and practices, even in those who are committed to making a difference.
Impact of Community and Relationships
Community plays a crucial role in supporting leaders’ journeys toward achieving lasting change after psychedelic experiences. Participants in the study noted that having a network of peers who understand their challenges helps in maintaining momentum and accountability as they navigate their leadership roles. Relationships are emphasized as essential for sustaining or enhancing the benefits gained from psychedelic therapies, as they create a space for mutual support and shared growth. These interactions demonstrate that the transformations sparked by psychedelics are not just personal but can resonate throughout teams and organizations.
Long-Term Effects and Future Research
The ongoing research seeks to unravel the long-term effects of psychedelic experiences on leadership decision-making and explore how these changes can ripple into broader organizational systems. The study plans to capture both qualitative and quantitative data to provide a comprehensive picture of how psychedelics influence behavior over time. By refining their approach, researchers aim to delve into behavioral cues indicating successful decision-making shifts and to address concerns about potential narcissism arising from enhanced executive confidence post-experience. The exploration of these dynamics will be critical in understanding how psychedelics could foster systemic change, emphasizing the need for responsible integration into leadership practices.
In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin welcomes Dr. Rachelle Sampson, an executive coach, professor of business at the University of Maryland, and board member at the USONA Institute.
Dr. Sampson shares insights from the Connected Leadership Project, a groundbreaking study exploring how psychedelic experiences with psilocybin impact decision-making and leadership in business executives.
Dr. Rachelle Sampson is a distinguished researcher and executive coach. She is Associate Professor of Public Policy at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, and Senior Research Fellow at the ESG Institute, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Sampson also serves on the Board of Directors for the Usona Institute, a non-profit conducting clinical trials for psilocybin and 5-MEO-DMT.
Dr. Sampson co-leads a pioneering research project on the impact of psychedelics on leadership creativity and decision-making, driven by her curiosity about the role of business organizations in catalyzing systems change.
Highlights:
Introduction to Dr. Rachelle Sampson and her background in business research and leadership
Initial interest in psychedelics’ impact on leaders
The genesis of the Connected Leadership Project
Key findings from the pilot study with business leaders
Observations on transformative experiences and their impact on leadership
On the longevity of psychedelic effects in leadership contexts
Exploration of narcissism concerns in leadership and psychedelics
The potential for psychedelics to catalyze systems change
