Feminine Intelligence: Psychedelics, Leadership & the Future of Business - Elina Teboul

Overview

This episode explores the intersection of psychedelics, leadership, and the concept of feminine intelligence with Elina Teboul, a former corporate lawyer turned leadership coach. Elina discusses how psychedelics and altered states of consciousness can help leaders reconnect with empathy, creativity, and purpose, ultimately transforming business practices into more conscious, love-centered, and environmentally sustainable models.

Notable Quotes

- I never feel more in my feminine than when I'm in a psychedelic state. All of those linear, rational, must-do drivers go away, and I just feel love—for myself, for others, for the universe. - Elina Teboul, on the connection between psychedelics and feminine intelligence.

- Why are psychedelics illegal if we know the research shows they lead to significant breakthroughs? It’s because people who have these experiences start to question the construct of society, and they become much harder to convince and control. - Elina Teboul, on the societal implications of psychedelics.

- The feminine is not just about how you show up as a woman in the workplace. It’s about advocating for the most important elements of our society and for positive impact. - Elina Teboul, on redefining leadership through feminine intelligence.

🌟 From Corporate Law to Psychedelic Leadership

- Elina Teboul shares her journey from a high-pressure career in corporate law to becoming a leadership coach and advocate for psychedelics.

- She describes the masculine culture of corporate law—rigid, hierarchical, and left-brain dominant—and its detrimental effects on mental health, including high rates of depression and burnout.

- Her first altered state experience through holotropic breathwork at Columbia University sparked her curiosity about expanded consciousness and its potential to transform leadership.

💡 Feminine Intelligence and Leadership

- Elina introduces the concept of feminine intelligence, rooted in Carl Jung's archetypes, emphasizing the integration of both feminine and masculine traits for authentic leadership.

- Feminine intelligence prioritizes empathy, creativity, and interconnectedness, challenging traditional profit-driven, hierarchical business models.

- She critiques the Lean In philosophy, advocating instead for leadership that embraces vulnerability, emotional intelligence, and purpose-driven values.

🌱 Psychedelics and Environmental Stewardship

- Psychedelics often foster a profound connection to nature, leading individuals to recognize their interdependence with the environment.

- Elina recounts a transformative psychedelic experience that deepened her commitment to environmental advocacy, inspiring her to join the advisory board of the Earth Law Center.

- She emphasizes the importance of integrating these insights into actionable steps, ensuring that environmental stewardship becomes an authentic and sustainable practice in business.

⚖️ Positive Psychology and High-Stress Professions

- Elina developed a Positive Lawyering course at Fordham Law School to address the mental health crisis in the legal profession.

- Lawyers often develop a negativity bias due to their training, which can lead to chronic stress and mental health challenges.

- The course introduced mindfulness and positive psychology techniques to help law students manage stress and build resilience, with the hope that they would later influence organizational culture as leaders.

🌍 Psychedelics, Conscious Capitalism, and the Future of Work

- Elina and Paul Austin discuss the potential for psychedelics to inspire a shift toward conscious capitalism, where businesses prioritize love, purpose, and environmental sustainability alongside profits.

- They explore the challenges of integrating psychedelics into corporate culture, including stigma, legal barriers, and the need for proper education and ethical frameworks.

- Elina highlights the importance of legalization to ensure safe, intentional use and to prevent the commercialization of psychedelics in ways that strip them of their transformative potential.