Have you ever stopped to ask yourself why you think the way you think? Or what drives the choices you make every day in your work, your relationships, your leadership?

In this episode of the Spirituality in Leadership podcast, host Andrew Cohn speaks with Pablo Sillas Domínguez, a human relations executive and author of Heartset. Pablo shares his powerful personal journey from being a successful but workaholic HR director, whom he describes as the "wolf" of his own family, to embarking on a profound spiritual and transformational path.

The catalyst for this change was a pivotal question from a coach: "Do you know why you think the way you think?" This launched Pablo on a years-long journey of introspection, unlearning, and integrating his reason with his emotions and intuition. He explains that this personal awakening mirrors a larger societal issue, where a hyper-competitive, ego-driven mindset has led to widespread stress and disconnection.

Pablo introduces key concepts from his book, including "field thoughts," (the fusion of feeling and thinking), "charisms," (spiritual gifts), and “meditaction,” (combining meditation with action for the common good). He argues for bringing vulnerability and our whole selves into the workplace, moving from seeing people as disposable resources to recognizing them as indispensable individuals. The conversation offers a practical and aspirational framework for leaders to cultivate purpose, meaning, and healthier organizations.

Key Takeaways

From ego to essence: Real transformation begins by asking honest questions about why we think and feel the way we do.

Three pillars of being: Growth requires balance between reason, emotion, and intuition.

The Heartset framework: Shifting from competition to awareness creates space for genuine connection and shared purpose.

Unlearning to become: Letting go of old patterns and roles reveals authenticity and freedom.

Vulnerability as strength: Honest openness builds empathy, trust, and deeper relationships in the workplace.

Field thoughts and tharisms: Spiritual practices that turn personal growth into collective uplift.

Meditation in action: True mindfulness lives in behavior, not just reflection.

In This Episode:

[00:01] Pablo’s awakening and spiritual transformation
[03:27] Early career, success, and lessons from overwork
[06:45] Realizing the cost of ego-driven ambition
[08:15] The question that changed everything
[10:01] Learning to feel, listen, and grow through awareness
[12:25] The system and cultural conditioning of the ego
[14:13] The missing half of human competencies
[16:30] The path from ego to self to integration
[18:14] Understanding “tharisms” and spiritual gifts
[20:47] Unlearning to be yourself
[23:10] Living authenticity within corporate systems
[25:20] Vulnerability and seniority as mature leadership
[28:26] Building trust through empathy
[32:10] Introducing “field thoughts” and new paradigms for culture
[39:19] Meditation and the call to act with awareness
[42:11] Music, food, and creativity as channels for connection
[45:12] Where to find Pablo’s book and playlists
[46:23] Closing reflections
Resources and Links

Spirituality in Leadership Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spirituality-in-leadership/id1713365406

Pablo Sillas Domínguez

Website: https://pablosillas.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablosillas/?locale=en_US
Book by Pablo Sillas Domínguez: Heartset: The Renaissance 2.0 of Sapiens and Conscious Organizations
Heartset: https://a.co/d/2Z0MqN6

Andrew Cohn

Website: https://www.spiritualityinleadership.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcohnusa/

Music:

Kodiak: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4rURKtnJr3jeHvZ0IVRQCe