Sharon Salzberg – Metta Hour – Ep. 229 – Jerry Colonna

For episode 229 of the Metta Hour, Sharon sits down with teacher, author, and CEO whisperer Jerry Colonna for his second appearance on the podcast to talk about his new book, Reunion: Leadership and the Longing to Belong.

Jerry is the CEO and co-founder of the executive coaching firm Reboot.io. A highly sought-after coach and speaker, he is also the author of Reboot: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up. For more than 20 years, he has used his experiences as a CEO, investor, journalist, college professor, and coach to help people lead with humanity, resilience, and equanimity. Please be aware this episode contains mention of sexual assault. 

In this episode, Sharon and Jerry discuss:
  • Being a first responder to suffering
  • Being content in the face of suffering
  • How Jerry came to belonging as a book topic
  • Belonging as being at home in one’s existence
  • Being included, accepted, and celebrated
  • How to cultivate belonging as a skill
  • A new definition of leadership
  • How hungry ghosts affect leaders and communities
  • Free speech versus right speech
  • Jerry’s family history
  • How untold stories affect us
  • What propels reunion

Jerry closes the conversation with a reading of Poem 41 by bell hooks.

To learn more about Jerry’s work, you can visit his website and get yourself a copy of his new book, Reunion, right here.
Listen to more from Sharon Salzberg:
Jump into the first episode of the Real Life Series with Jon Kabat-Zinn
Tune into Ep. 1 of the Metta Hour to learn about The Buddha Within
Listen to Joseph Goldstein’s Meditative Story, Hosted By Rohan Gunatillake
Hear from Tara Brach and Sharon Salzberg in Ep. 56 of Metta Hour