The Leader’s Guide to Mindfulness

“Practical Mindfulness”  

If you ask a group of people what they understand about mindfulness, about half of them will talk about meditation or breathing or, perhaps, yoga. The other half will say that it’s nonsense. They will disclaim interest in hearing anything more about it. Yet the business world has embraced the concept of mindfulness. Universities teach courses on mindfulness in business schools. Publications produce articles that refer to mindful practices in the halls of tech industry leaders such as Intel, Apple and Google. These articles highlight the gains mindfulness has brought to these companies.

Originating in Buddhism, mindfulness is, according to one definition, a “contemplation of one’s own experience, subsumed under the four objective domains of the body, feelings, states of mind and experiential phenomena.” In 2016, Cranfield, Birmingham and Aberystwyth Universities conducted a study for the Mindfulness Initiative. Participants reported that mindful practices made them feel positive, focused and resilient. It enhanced their insights into other people’s behavior.

Practicing mindfulness strengthens ...