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Business

Regenerative Economics and Psychedelics: Creating More Connected Leadership

August 23, 2024
Featuring: Rachelle Sampson, Ph.D. & Bennet Zelner, Ph.D.

It’s no secret that psychedelic experiences can make people think differently, resulting in more open-mindedness and connection. How can that concept be applied to corporate culture to create more connected leadership?

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It’s no secret that psychedelic experiences can make people think differently, resulting in more open-mindedness and connection. How can that concept be applied to corporate culture to create more connected leadership?

In this episode of Vital Psychedelic Conversations, David interviews Rachelle Sampson, Ph.D.: researcher and founder of Blue Prism Coaching; and Bennet Zelner, Ph.D.: researcher, speaker, and creator of the Pollination Approach. They are both Vital instructors and Associate Professors at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland.

Based on a passion for regenerative economics (how we might be able to apply patterns of nature to socioeconomic systems), they are co-leading the Connected Leadership Study, a research project tracking how psychedelic experiences can facilitate change in people in leadership positions. They believe that a shift from a mechanistic attunement to a more synergistic recognition of our interconnectedness should lead to new ways of thinking, resulting in more creative leaders with better decision-making and team-building skills, and corporate culture caring more about values, regenerative models, equity, and sustainability – all while still being successful. They wonder: Can psychedelic experiences create better leaders? Can capitalism become more conscious?

They discuss:

  • The structure of the study, what they learned in the first cohort, and why they track participants for a year
  • How change happens over time, and why they believe it to needs to happen from the bottom up
  • The concept of emergence and emergent change illustrated by the shifts in movement of a flock of birds
  • How synergistic attunement can be traced back to the cellular level
  • The challenge of balancing the therapeutic aspect of psychedelics with the more corporate strategy/professional side

and more!

The study’s next cohort begins in October, so if you’re a business leader interested in being a participant, head to Leaders.study for more info. And if you’d like to learn more about these concepts, the new Regenerative Business and Leadership specialization path in this year’s cohort of Vital digs deep into this world. And we’ve just extended the applications to Sept. 2, so you still have time to apply!

Links

Leaders.study

Blueprismcoaching.com

Rhsmith.umd.edu: Rachelle Sampson

Rhsmith.umd.edu: Bennet Zelner

PT221 – Bennet Zelner – The Pollination Approach

PT399 – Vital Psychedelic Conversations, featuring: Bennet Zelner, Ph.D. & Giles Hayward

Goodreads.com: Margaret Mead quote

Kiyumi.org: Connected Leadership Program

Mypersonality.net: Myers-Bbriggs personality test

Visuallysimplified.com: Goleman’s Six Leadership Styles

Mindtools.com: Six Thinking Hats

Conscious.is: 15 commitments of conscious leadership

2020-11 Sampson Headshots

In this Episode

Rachelle Sampson, Ph.D.

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. Recognized as a thought leader in long-term investment and innovation, Dr. Sampson focuses on how a leader’s long-term perspective influences sustainability practices, workforce development, and breakthrough innovation in companies. She is the recipient of the Panmure House Prize, one of the largest research awards in the UK, and is an award-winning teacher. Additionally, she serves on corporate advisory boards of firms integrating sustainable business and employee practices. In addition to her research, Dr. Sampson founded Blue Prism Coaching, a coaching practice dedicated to supporting individuals and leaders in transforming themselves, their communities, and their organizations. Through her coaching, she helps clients access their own resourcefulness to create meaningful and fully realized lives, aligned with their deepest values and aspirations.

Bennet Zelner 2

Bennet Zelner, Ph.D.

Bennet A. Zelner, Ph.D. researches, teaches, and advises on regenerative economics, psychedelics, and leadership. Current projects include ongoing work on the Pollination Approach, a regenerative economic approach to delivering psychedelic-assisted mental health treatment; and the Connected Leadership Study (with Rachelle Sampson), which examines the effects of psychedelic experiences on decision-making by organizational leaders. Bennet currently serves as Associate Professor of Business and Public Policy at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, College Park. He also serves as a director or advisory board member for Usona Institute, Brooklyn Psychedelic Society, Global Psychedelic Society, Nautilus Psychedelic Medicine Institute, Gather Well Psychedelics, Psychedelics for Climate Action, and the Intercollegiate Psychedelic Network. Bennet is a frequent speaker, conference panelist, and podcast guest. He has most recently appeared at South by Southwest 2024 in Austin, INSIGHT 2023 in Berlin, and MAPS Psychedelic Science 2023 in Denver. Links to Bennet’s talks and writings can be found on his LinkedIn page.

Socials: Linkedin

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