Introduction

The problem with mindfulness

Mindfulness has become so mainstream it seems to have lost meaning.

‘Note to Self’ Podcast, 2018

Whenever I ask the question of what mindfulness means, around 50 per cent of my audience will invariably say, ‘meditation’, ‘breathing’ and ‘awareness’ – sometimes, they also add ‘yoga’. The other 50 per cent will call it ‘hokey’ and not wish to hear any more.

Yet, the concept has been embraced within the contemporary business environment, even universities are adding a ‘Mindfulness in business’ course to their programmes, and there is a consistent flow of  articles citing big names like Google, Apple and Intel celebrating the organisational gains that ‘mindfulness’ brings – whether individuals like it or not.

The benefits often are espoused in blogs, news articles and research papers and, to date, including mindfulness in day-to-day working results in:

• stress levels dropping
• sleep quality improving
• pain dropping
• an estimated ‘… $3,000 per-employee increase in productivity for the company each year’

(Gelles, 2015)

• improved creativity, well-being and focus
• stronger enthusiasm in projects and meetings

(Intel Press, 2013)

• improved decision making
• becoming better listeners

(Gelles, 2012)

• better focus and open mindedness
• better collaboration
• a climate of ‘… openness, acceptance and empowerment’
• emotionally and intellectually available leaders
• a switch from ‘hurried multitasking and its psychological blind spots, to one of curiosity, flexibility and opportunity.’

(Williams, 2016)

The evidence is clear that organisations are onto something by incorporating ‘mindfulness’, so why do so many still need convincing?

According to Barnett, “‘lunchtime wellbeing sessions” now appearing in some companies and institutions are – if they are doing anything at all – just making people docile’ (Barnett, 2015). Worse still, rather than incorporate mindfulness as an additional benefit, some US organisations have been providing their employees with mindfulness training in place of holiday entitlement or financial benefits (Whippman, 2016).

Further, the big names within the field of mindfulness cannot agree on what mindfulness actually is and how it is practised:

Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.

Jon Kabat-Zinn

Mindfulness shows us what is happening in our bodies, our emotions, our minds, and in the world. Through mindfulness, we avoid harming ourselves and others.

Thich Nhat Hanh

Mindfulness in its most general sense is about waking up from a life on automatic, and being sensitive to novelty in our everyday experiences. With mindful awareness the flow of energy and information that is our mind enters our conscious attention and we can both appreciate its contents and come to regulate its flow in a new way.

Daniel J. Siegel

However, their continued prominence comes with substantiating research findings that there are huge benefits to mindfulness within organisations (even if the concept is still somewhat unframed, uncodified, and gives rise to scepticism of ‘… the hippie stuff’ (Confino, 2014).

Therefore, it seems that the ‘problem’ of mindfulness is not that it does not work – but that it is misunderstood. As such, while this book will cover the background theory of mindfulness and explain its usefulness to the leader, it will approach the field in a much more contemporary way – by applying the techniques.

How this book works

Each chapter opens with self-reflection prompt questions and includes practical mindfulness exercises and meditations focused on the topic at hand. (Many of these activities can be done alone, with your team, or as part of an organisation-wide workshop.) To progress your learning further, chapters conclude with a toolkit, offering a reminder of the key points, challenging you to introduce simple mindfulness into your day, and developing some of the techniques used within the chapter. Of course, some theory is essential – you may want to convince a board to implement mindfulness sessions or workshops, or perhaps make changes to the working day to enhance well-being, therefore the exercises are con-textualised through an overview of the background research; but, as to tangible benefits – they will be best achieved through practice. Let the academics continue to argue principles, mindfulness works in its application – and you, the leader who can incorporate its techniques, will reap the rewards.

The meditations referred to in this book are included in transcript form for your own use in workshops, and are availble exclusively to you as recordings at the following link: www.draudreyt.com/meditations (Password: leaderretreat).

Voice: Dr Audrey Tang
Accompaniment: Mr Simon Gargrave, simongargravemusic.co.uk