The Eight Elements of Wisdom: Dr. Laura Gabayan’s Guide to Better Leadership
May 21, 2025
What if the real leadership edge isn’t found in your resume, but in your wisdom? In this episode of Mindful Management, host Shenandoah Chefalo sits down with Dr. Laura Gabayan, who reveals the eight science-backed traits that define wise leaders and why they matter more than ever in today’s high-pressure workplace. From resilience and humility to creativity and kindness, you’ll learn how to transform your leadership style with human-centered strategies rooted in neuroscience and life experience. Whether you’re guiding teams through change or simply looking to grow, this conversation offers a more grounded, intentional way to lead.
What if your leadership edge isn’t what you know, but how wisely you lead? Today on Mindful Management, Dr. Laura Gabayan shares eight learnable traits that shape effective, people-first leadership. You’ll hear how these skills foster trust, connection, and thoughtful growth in today’s fast-paced workplace.
Whether you're navigating burnout or rethinking your leadership approach, this episode offers a science-backed roadmap to leading with presence and purpose.
Whether you're navigating burnout or rethinking your leadership approach, this episode offers a science-backed roadmap to leading with presence and purpose.
What You'll Learn:
- How to cultivate the eight elements of wisdom: resilience, kindness, positivity, spirituality, humility, tolerance, creativity, and curiosity
- Why traditional medical training often overlooks essential human elements like kindness and empathy, and how to bridge this gap
- The crucial distinction between tolerance and judgment, and how to foster genuine acceptance in diverse workplaces
- How to shift from fear-based leadership to faith-based decision-making for better outcomes
- Why slowing down and "being present" is essential for wisdom development and organizational success
- The importance of self-kindness as a foundation for developing wisdom and leading others effectively
- How Western productivity culture can hinder wisdom development, and strategies to overcome this challenge
Dr. Laura Gabayan is a physician, researcher, and author leading the Wisdom Research Project and author of Common Wisdom, which outlines eight key leadership traits: resilience, kindness, positivity, spirituality, humility, tolerance, creativity, and curiosity.
With over 20 years in emergency medicine and a UCLA background, her personal health journey inspired a shift toward studying wisdom through a scientific lens. By interviewing wise adults aged 50–79, she developed practical insights that blend Western science with holistic understanding, helping leaders build more mindful, resilient, and compassionate organizations.
With over 20 years in emergency medicine and a UCLA background, her personal health journey inspired a shift toward studying wisdom through a scientific lens. By interviewing wise adults aged 50–79, she developed practical insights that blend Western science with holistic understanding, helping leaders build more mindful, resilient, and compassionate organizations.
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References:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauragabayan
- Dr. Laura Gabayan’s Common Wisdom: 8 Scientific Elements of a Meaningful Life: https://a.co/d/7M1ydDM
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