076: Navigating Grief in Leadership with Sarah Hines

How can leaders effectively support their employees through the profound and often challenging experiences of grief? In this episode, Sarah Hines joins me in exploring how organizations can better handle grief in the workplace and the transformative impact it can have on both employees and leaders.

Sarah Hines has spent over two decades serving those at the end of life and supporting many in their journey with grief. Her compassionate approach is built upon three fundamental beliefs: grief is how we honour what we love, that death belongs in the hands of love, and that community care is imperative for humanity to thrive.

She has integrated her life experience with multiple facets of learnings, certifications and training including Grief Coaching, Deathcaring, Trauma & Mental Health Certifications, IFS Therapy and Somatic Practitioner Training, and over 20 years as a corporate consultant. 

In 2019, she founded Grief Advocacy. A National grief care organization that supports leaders and their teams through grief and loss. Sarah comes to us with one mission to help us cultivate a relationship with our grief so that we can live inside our passion, purpose and legacy as compassionate leaders.

🔑 Key Themes & Takeaways:

• The Intersection of Sales and Grief Work: Sarah discusses her journey from a corporate sales career to founding griefadvocacy.com, merging her professional skills with her passion for grief support.
  
  

• Grief Literacy and Inclusivity: The importance of developing grief literacy in leadership and creating inclusive environments where employees feel supported during their grief experiences.
  
  

• Empathy vs. Compassion in Leadership: Sarah emphasizes the distinction between empathy and compassion, advocating for leaders to hold space for their team's emotions without absorbing the energy, thus fostering a supportive yet sustainable leadership approach.
  
  

• Actionable Leadership Strategies: Practical advice for leaders on how to manage their own grief while leading, including setting boundaries, redistributing tasks, and creating a culture of trust and belonging.
  
  

• Creating Safe Spaces: Techniques for leaders to create safe spaces for employees to express their grief, including recording meetings and sending supportive messages to those on bereavement leave.
  
  

• Ambiguous and Anticipatory Grief: Discussion on the nuanced forms of grief, such as ambiguous loss and anticipatory grief, and how they manifest in both personal and professional settings.
  
  

• Compassionate Leadership Practices: The importance of leaders practicing self-care, leaning back to witness rather than fix problems, and fostering an environment where emotions are acknowledged and respected.

We talk about:

• 00:00 Intro

• 02:53 The Birth of Grief Advocacy

• 05:58 Impact of COVID-19 on Grief Advocacy

• 10:50 Defining and Understanding Grief

• 23:18 The Impact of Societal Stress on Mental Health