October 13, 2026
Episode 208: How Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Build Stronger Teams with Dr. Ellen Choi
On this episode of The Future of Teamwork, Dane Groeneveld chats with Dr. Ellen Choi, professor of organizational behavior and researcher on mindfulness, leadership, and workplace well-being, to explore how self-awareness, self-compassion, and emotional intelligence can help teams thrive.
Ellen shares how her own experience with meditation sparked a passion for understanding its impact on focus, patience, and well-being. Together, she and Dane discuss why workplaces often leave so little room for emotions, how leaders can model healthier ways of relating to themselves and others, and why burnout can be a sign that something deeper needs attention.
Ellen also breaks down the four steps of nonviolent communication that can create healthy team communication: objectively describing a situation, identifying and owning your feelings, connecting those feelings to a value, and making a clear request.
Finally, Ellen explores how our internal states influence the atmosphere of a team, and why leaders should pay attention not just to the work getting done, but also to the mood and energy they bring into the room.
🔗 Connect with Dr. Ellen Choi on LinkedIn and Instagram and LinkedIn
How Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Build Stronger Teams with Dr. Ellen Choi
Guest Bio
Dr. Ellen Choi is an Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour at the Ted Rogers School of Management, Toronto Metropolitan University, where she researches how mindfulness, self-compassion, authenticity support employee well-being. She holds a PhD from the Ivey Business School and an MSc from the London School of Economics. Dr. Choi teaches in the area of organizational behaviour on topics such as leadership, training and development, motivation and decision-making. Prior to graduate school, Ellen traded in commercial real estate for eight years with CBRE. She is also a yoga instructor, executive meditation coach, and delivers mindfulness workshops and keynote addresses to corporate audiences.
Key Takeaways
0:00 Welcome to the Future of Teamwork Podcast
00:56 Meet Dr. Ellen Choi
03:17 Mindfulness Research Path
05:03 Being and Body Wisdom
10:35 Leaders Modeling Empathy
16:03 Burnout and Toxic Culture
20:31 Repair and Real Talk
24:53 Meditation and NVC Tools
29:05 Defensiveness and Self Worth
30:55 Recognition and Listening
36:34 NVC Four Step Example
43:36 Team Vibe and Contagion
47:02 Wrap Up and Where to Find
48:19 Podcast Disclaimer Outro
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