PRAISE FOR CREATING mindful LEADERS
"Since my late twenties my "go to" secret weapon has been a twice daily practice of meditation. Here finally MINDFULNESS, the goal of meditation, is de-mystified in a way that will draw others to a path from the person they are today to the one we all can become."
"Creating Mindful Leaders is not your typical mindfulness book. Joe has made his mark and paid his dues in the corporate fast lane, and he brings an insider's insights to this crucial topic. He is smart, irreverent, and has a wealth of stories to show what can happen when stress, ego and distraction get the best of us. If you think mindfulness is too wishy-washy for you, this book, research and advice will show why it's a deeply transforming habit to help you to be successful in today's business world without losing your soul."
"This is a compelling call to action to bring mindfulness to the workplace. Burton shifts the mindfulness discussion from an individual activity to an organizational and leadership imperative. The book is easy to read and engaging, interweaving scientific findings, personal experience, and practical exercises from the company he founded."
"If you are seeking a relevant and relatable book on Mindfulness in the workplace, look no further. Joe Burton's warm, funny and informed style allows all professionals to benefit from his expertise and personal experience to incorporate mindfulness easily into their lives. Joe, using science-based evidence, takes the mystery out of mindfulness. The link between mindful practices improving your professional and personal results is real, and this book is the key to unlock this connection for you and your team."
"Written with great verve and clarity, this book is full of practical help that is grounded in neuroscience, mindful wisdom, and enormous real world business experience. With fresh insight and many concrete applications, Joe Burton shows readers how to be even more effective leaders with the power of mindfulness."
"Joe Burton demystifies mindfulness and makes it easy to take your first steps to being a happier, more effective, and balanced leader. We've never needed the help more than now. Corporate life is often chaotic and it's getting worse. I wish this book had infiltrated the media and advertising industry earlier!"
"Creating Mindful Leaders captures what every professional in government, education and business needs to know - Times are changing fast and we need to adapt to thrive. We can all become more resilient, compassionate and effective with the practices, tools and techniques shared here."
"This is a perfect and timely read for stressed out professionals. Mindfulness and emotional intelligence skills are the keys to unlocking greater possibilities and living life with purpose for modern leaders. Joe Burton provides the deep insights and training tips to make mindfulness a part of every successful career."
"Creating Mindful Leaders explores one of the most pervasive challenges of our time: overwhelming busyness, accomplishment addiction, and the imbalances that come from being constantly "on." Speaking from his own experience and with plenty of humor, Joe shares an important message for leaders and simple practices for bringing sanity back into our workplaces and our lives. If only one person in every organization can read this book, may it be the leader!"
"I love how this book uses personal stories and research that everyone can relate to. Anyone who reads it will come away with a solid understanding of how to manage their own stress and create stronger, more connected teams for sustainable success."
"The perfect companion to start or evolve your mindfulness journey! From Joe's highly-relatable personal story, to the comprehensive research and practical and easy to implement approaches, Creating Mindful Leaders has everything professionals need to start positively impacting their personal and professional life today!"
"Joe Burton is a mind reader, trendsetter, or whatever you call someone who realized, long before mainstream media, that mindfulness is important. Here's proof that all leaders have the ability (and responsibility) to support employees in their general wellness and happiness. The concept's here are simple, actionable and powerful. Creating Mindful Leaders is an extension of Joe's vision of mindfulness for professionals - and the world is a better place because of it."
JOE BURTON is the founder and CEO of Whil, the world's leading digital wellbeing training platform helping employees to reduce stress, increase resilience and improve their performance. He is an entrepreneur in the digital health space, former President of Headspace, and spent fifteen years as a global COO in public companies. An alumnus of Harvard Business School, Joe is a renowned keynote speaker and contributor to Forbes, Business Insider, and HuffPost.
Acknowledgments ix
Foreword, by Josh Bersin xi
Introduction: Being a Leader Is Amazing. And It Kinda Sucks xvii
Part I For You 1
Chapter 1 What Is Mindfulness and Why Should I Care? 3
Chapter 2 What's Stressing People Out? 25
Chapter 3 The $500 Billion Dollar Slow Leak 35
Chapter 4 Are You Increasing Your Resilience or Decreasing It? 47
Chapter 5 What Does "Performance" Mean to You? 55
Chapter 6 You Versus Technology 61
Chapter 7 Invest Five Minutes a Day to Save Your Life 63
Chapter 8 It's Not a Religion. It's a Lifestyle. 67
Part II For Your Company 89
Chapter 9 Reality Check: How Toxic Is Your Work Culture? 91
Chapter 10 Sleepless Nights and the Walking Dead 99
Chapter 11 Look, A Squirrel! Distraction and the Growing Safety Crisis 109
Chapter 12 Turn Depressing Data Into Healthy Employees 119
Part III Emotional Intelligence (EQ) for Everyone 127
Chapter 13 Building Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Skills for Yourself 129
Chapter 14 Increasing Self-Awareness 143
Chapter 15 Improving Self-Regulation 155
Chapter 16 Boosting Motivation 167
Chapter 17 Getting Positive - Don't Call it a Comeback 181
Chapter 18 Building EQ Skills for Others: Sharing a Better You 191
Chapter 19 Applying EQ Skills at Home (Parenting) 209
Chapter 20 Do or Die: It's Called Practice For a Reason 217
Free Whil Resources 221
About the Author 223
Endnotes 225
Index 241