Mindful at Work Course Design

Mindful at Work Course Design

Mindful at Work: Enhance Well-Being, Collaboration and Results Overview of the Course: In this course you will learn what mindfulness is, and how you can apply it to everyday aspects of work such as planning, communication, meetings, teamwork and change. You will also learn additional mindfulness practices that you can do at home to strengthen your capacity to stay present, focused and engaged. Module 1: Introduction to Mindfulness In this module you will learn what mindfulness is and its benefits. Mindfulness is an inherent human ability that can be strengthened through practice. Based on ancient methods for calming the mind it has gained credibility and popularity in the West in the last 40 years. Utilizing simple practices that help to focus and expand mental and emotional capacity, mindfulness can strengthen resilience, reduce stress and improve decision making in the workplace and in life. Video 1: Why Mindfulness, Why Now Video 2: What is Mindfulness? Audio Guided Practice: Just Being Guest Presenter: Gaylon Ferguson, Ph.D. Embodiment Video: Openness Mindful Work by David Gelles Natural Bravery by Gaylon Ferguson Ferguson, G. J. (2015). Natural bravery: Fear and fearlessness as a direct path of awakening. Boulder: Shambhala. Mindfulness by Eileen Fisher

Module 2: The Science of Mindfulness Since mindfulness was introduced in clinical settings in the late 1970 s by Jon Kabot-Zinn, scientific research has increased significantly. Studies have been conducted that show the benefits of mindfulness on stress, eating disorders, depression and self-regulation. In the last 10 years the role of mindfulness in the workplace has become an important topic for researchers and recent studies show significant improvements in well-being job satisfaction, job performance and emotional regulation as a result of mindfulness. In this module you will learn more about why and how mindfulness works as well as some practices that can help you calm and stabilize your mind. Video 1: How Does Mindfulness Work? Video 2: Stepping Through Your Day Audio Guided Practice: Body Scan Guest Presenter: Peter Grossenbacher, Ph.D. Embodiment Video: Attitude Mindsight by Dan Siegel The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doidge, M.D. Doidge, N. The brain the changes itself: Stories of personal triumph from the frontiers of brain science (2007). New York: Penguin Group. Dan Siegel s Blog Module 3: Mindfulness and Presence The quality of personal presence that we bring to situations determines how we experience them. When we are daydreaming or our mind is wandering we miss out on the fullness of what each moment has to offer. In this module we will cultivate presence by continually bringing our mind back to the experience of the breath and opening our senses to what is actually going on within us and around us. Video 1: The Power of Presence at Work Video 2: Experiencing This Very Moment Audio Guided Practice: Following the Breath Guest Presenter: Dale Asrael, M.A. Embodiment Video: Awareness

Turning the Mind into an Ally by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche Mipham, S., & Chödrön, P. (2004). Turning the mind into an ally. New York: Riverhead Books. Presence by Peter Senge and Otto Scharmer Senge, P., Scharmer, C. O. (2008). Presence: Human purpose and the field of the future. New York: Random House Module 4: Planning and Decision Making In today s turbulent social and economic environment, we are all faced with enormous pressure to see the big picture and respond skillfully to specific situations with understanding, clarity, authenticity and decisiveness. Not only do we need to respond, rather than react to difficult situations, we need to encourage and motivate those around us to do the same. Mindfulness can help us access our own clarity and creativity in the midst of challenging situations. Video 1: Purposeful Planning Video 2: Planning From the Present Moment Audio Guided Practice: Noticing Thoughts Guest Presenter, Marty Janowitz, M.S. Embodiment Theme: Alignment One Second Ahead by Rasmus Hougaard Hougaard, R.(2016) One second ahead: Enhance your performance at work with mindfulness. Palgrave McMillan: New York. Theory U: Leading from the Future as it Emerges by Otto Sharmer Scharmer, C. O. (2016). Theory U: leading from the future as it emerges: The social technology of presencing. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler, Inc., a BK Business Book. Fire by Judy Brown Drip by Drip by Seth Godin

Module 5: Mindful Communication Improved concentration and clarity is not all that mindfulness has to offer. By focusing on the present moment, we can discover choices we would otherwise not have. Instead of being distracted by fleeting thoughts and emotional ups and downs, we can develop the capacity to sustain focus and connection and therefore engage in more effective interactions with co-workers. This has a positive effect in the workplace. As we become more familiar with our own inner landscape, we develop empathy and compassion for others and become more skilled at recognizing conflicts and responding to the emotional needs of the people around us. Video 1: Authentic Communication Video 2: Transforming Difficult Conversations Audio Guided Practice: Self-Compassion Guest Presenter: Judith Simmer-Brown, Ph.D. Embodiment Video: Responsiveness 5 Keys to Mindful Communication by Susan Chapman Chapman, S. G. (2012). The five keys to mindful communication: Using deep listening and mindful speech to strengthen relationships, heal conflicts, and accomplish your goals. Boston, MA: Shambhala. Dialogue by William Issacs Isaacs, W., & Senge, P. M. (2006). Dialogue and the art of thinking together: A pioneering approach to communicating in business and in life. New York: Doubleday, a division of Random House. The Guest House by Rumi Module 6: Teamwork and Mindfulness Working together in teams is an important skill in most work environments. However, many teams focus on "doing" rather than "being". Mindfulness can be utilized in team settings with simple practices such as "a moment of silence" or the "check in" to bring more awareness and empathy into the team dynamics. In this modules we will explore some of the tools and methods that can help teams balance relaxation with clarity and help mobilize them for effective action.

Video 1: Stages of Team Development Video 2: Mindful tools for Teams Audio Guided Practice: Working with Emotions Guest Presenter: Jim Rosen Embodiment Video: Connection Real Happiness at Work by Sharon Salzberg Salzberg, S. (2015). Real happiness at work: Meditations for accomplishment, achievement, and peace. New York: Workman. How to Manage Collective Creativity by Linda Hill Module 7: Leading Mindfully How many mindful leaders does it take to shift a culture? At least one. Culture doesn't change because we think it should -in fact organizational cultures are notorious for not changing - no matter how many interventions we try. What can change a culture is a leader who behaves differently in challenging moments. Instead of reacting with defensiveness, a leader who can take a mindful 'pause' can make all the difference in both the process and the outcome. Of course, pausing alone is not enough -during the pause we can access our "felt sense" in the moment and make new choices based on our values and what is best for the whole situation. This takes courage as well as insight - qualities that can be developed through practice. Video 1: Bring Who You Are to How You Lead Video 2: Five Essential Practices for Leaders Audio Guided Practice: Rousing Energy Guest Presenter: Tami Simon Embodiment Video: Energy

Finding the Space to Lead by Janet Martarano Marturano, J. (2014). Finding the space to lead: A practical guide to mindful leadership. Bloomsbury Press: New York. Being True by Tami Simon There is a Vitality quote from Martha Graham Module 8: Navigating Mindful Change Although mindfulness practices can certainly be helpful when taught at the individual level, they can also be utilized at the group and organizational level to create a culture of focus, appreciation and alignment, and to foster creativity and innovation. Many large corporations such as Aetna, General Mills, Google, and LinkedIn are now utilizing mindfulness to foster individual well-being as well as cultivate healthy corporate cultures. However, mindfulness should not be seen as a panacea. Regardless of how often we practice meditation we will still have frustration, setbacks, and even failure. Mindfulness can help us build the capacity to respond to these situations with creativity and even a sense of humor. It can even help us to become more resilient in the face of constant change, which gives work a new meaning and purpose. Video 1: Mindful Change and Transition Video 2: Practice Resilience in the Midst of Change Audio Guided Practice: Open Awareness Guest Presenter: Rev. angel Kyodo williams Embodiment Video: Power Mindfulness in Action by Chogyam Trungpa Trungpa, C. (2015). Mindfulness in action: Making friends with yourself through meditation and everyday awareness. Shambhala Publications: Boulder. On Death and Dying by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross Kübler-Ross, E. (2002). On death and dying ; Questions and answers on death and dying ; On life after death. New York: Quality Paperback Book Club. Transitions by William Bridges Bridges, W. (2009). Transitions: Making sense of life s changes. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press.