Mindful Leadership

By Dave Potter, guest contributor

The concepts of “acceptance” and “non-striving" in mindfulness practice are difficult to understand because they seem to imply passivity and inaction. I don’t think I’ve ever taught a mindfulness class in which a student didn’t question mindful “acceptance” with concerns that it would lead to passivity:

“How does “acceptance” and “non-striving” apply when being attacked, verbally or physically?”

But “acceptance”, in the context of mindfulness, does not im…

By Larissa Hall Carlson, guest contributor

Working as a professional musician is incredibly demanding. Common challenges like intense competition, performance stress, long tours, burnout, and repetitive-movement injuries can prevent musicians from performing at their best. In their study of 2,536 adult musicians, Gembris, Heye, and Seifert (1) discovered that in addition to stage fright, when consistent pressure to perform well triggers music performance anxiety (MPA) in orchestral musicians pe…

By John J. Murphy, guest contributor

For the past 33 years I have worked as a transformational business consultant, helping organizations worldwide build high-performance work environments. The keyword here is environment. Albert Einstein once said, “The field is the sole governing agency of the particle.” In my experience, the field is the culture. It is the environment we live and work in. It is a form of energy that impacts the way we think, feel, look at things, and behave. Like gravity, we…

By John J. Murphy, guest contributor

One of the most common challenges we face in the workplace is conflict with other people. Maybe it is a boss who gets under our skin. Or maybe it is a colleague who rubs us the wrong way. In any case, we know it instantly. We feel it. Our heart rate increases. Our stress hormones kick into gear. We may even begin to sweat. Now, we have proof that this difficult person is responsible for how we feel. The evidence is clear.

If this sounds familiar, you are no…

By Georgina Miranda, guest contributor

After a year or more away from your office and peers, the thought of returning back to your desk, commute, and schedule can bring on new concerns or anxiety. Leaders today are challenged to create a new normal for their places of work and teams. While you might still hear many people say, “I can’t wait to go back to normal,” it’s important to acknowledge that our world has shifted, we as individuals have shifted, and the normal we knew is in the past. We c…

By Joy Reichart, New Ventures West, guest contributor

Zoomed Out

Yes, we are all “Zoomed out.” As connected as this wonderful platform has allowed us to remain over the past year of anxiety, separation, and loss, it carries with it a certain fatigue. For one thing, we are usually sitting down, hemmed in by a rectangle, perceiving ourselves, our colleagues, and our loved ones as only head and shoulders. For many it has become numbing, and we’re ready to be together again if only to remember we …

By Dorsey Standish, guest contributor

As Chief Mindfulness Officer of Mastermind, a brain health consulting firm, I bring research-backed mindfulness and emotional intelligence training to corporations across the state of Texas. I have worked with thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds, and I’ve noticed a common theme amongst my clients: struggling to balance work and personal life.

For many busy professionals, the phrase "work-life balance" can seem like an oxymoron. In today’s world o…

By Georgina Miranda, guest contributor

In the middle of life's storms, presence can help us make better decisions in stressful environments and help us stay centered and responsive versus reactive. Operating from this place helps us to grow our resilience and not deplete our energy. 

The future of work requires a commitment to the mental wellbeing of people. Regardless of the amazing products, services, or technology a company may be offering, its greatest resource is its people. Without the w…

View our Free Guide - What is MBSR?

By Dori Kelner, guest contributor

Sourcing talent and hiring new employees are some of the most challenging — and important — tasks that managers face. We all know the feeling of being overwhelmed by the process, despite our best-laid plans and intentions. How often do we hire the candidate who looks to be the right person, only to find ourselves recruiting for the same position just a few short months later when the new hire doesn’t work out?

The truth…

By John J. Murphy, guest contributor

One practical definition of leadership is going first. Leading the way. Walking the talk. I like this definition because it challenges leaders to be genuine and authentic, to lead by example. This is especially important when bringing mindfulness into a corporate culture. You will have a lot of skeptics and doubters. To many people, the idea of mindfulness brings images of yogis sitting on a mountaintop, chanting mantras. Who has time for this? We have deadl…