A few resources
on Mindfulness at Work
Mindful Leadership (Huffington Post)The Huffington Post Mindful Leadership Page-- Providing a series of stories on being a mindful leader and how the practice of mediation can impact one's personal and work life.Center for Mindfulness (UMass Medical School)- founded by Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1995 and offering various mindfulness-based programs in the community Resonant Leadership by Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKeeBook which incorporates mindfulness into leadership with practical exercises Mindfulness and CompassionRecent research from Northeastern University suggesting a relationship between meditation and compassion  Our leadership development firm is a referral-based business. Feel free to pass along our contact info or forward this email to anyone you think would benefit. Thanks!
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Mindfulness, which has become more and more integrated into health and wellness settings, is now becoming recognized for its value in the workplace. It is encouraging to see the current interest in this area which is no longer seen as "alternative" or "weird", but understood as an overarching strategy that can help leaders become more effective. In this newsletter I address just some of the myriad of writings and resources on this timely topic. I hope you find it helpful. Betty
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Jon Kabat-Zinn
In this video (just under 3 minutes), Jon Kabat-Zinn provides a brief look at the value of mindfulness in today's world, emphasizing its relationship to emotional intelligence, balance and being "in the moment".
 | | Jon Kabat-Zinn: Shut Off Your Cell Phone |
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The Mindful Coach
A brief article by Douglas Riddle in Forbes Magazine addresses mindfulness in Coaches. He begins this provocative article with the following statement
"There are countless executive coaches I would never hire for myself, no matter how wise, insightful, dynamic or experienced." *
He goes on to explain that what he looks for in a good coach, is not the ability to implement fancy techniques or elegant coaching models, but "mindful coaches" who present with an inner calm and the ability to create an environment of open reflection and exploration.
The evidence-based research on executive coaching is still evolving; but there is growing evidence on the particular value of the coach-client relationship. As coaches, we must be confident we are indeed acting "mindfully" before we can be successful in introducing these concepts to our clients.
*Three Keys to Mindful Leadership by Douglas Riddle, (Center for Creative Leadership) published in Forbes online, 1/23/2012
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The "BLT" ..... Betty's Leadership Tip
(suitable for vegetarians) Most of us will not find 20-30 minutes once or twice a day to meditate. However, can we find 5 minutes before an important meeting? How about 2 minutes several times throughout the day? Below are 3 "mini" relaxation techniques that might help keep you more balanced, calm and "present" throughout the day. You might try each one to find the one that works best for you. Mini # 1- As you inhale, count very slowly up to four. As you exhale, count slowly back down to one. Thus, as you inhale, you say to yourself "one, two, three, four". As you exhale you say to yourself, "four, three, two, one". Do this several times. Mini # 2- After each inhalation, pause for a few seconds. After you exhale, pause again for a few seconds. Do this for several breaths.
Mini # 3- Try counting your breaths, backwards from ten to zero. Take deep, slow breaths; so, inhale/exhale and say ("Ten"), inhale,exhale, say ("nine"), etc. If you find yourself at all light-headed, slow down. When you reach "zero" you should be feeling more relaxed.
Whatever you do, just remember..................BREATHE !
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