Applying mindfulness in coaching – a way forward for effective change

MAGDALENA KOLOWCA

MEMOIRE DE CERTIF ICATION SOUS LA DIRECTION DE BERTRAND AGOSTINI

FORMATION DE COACH PROFESSIONNEL – PROMOTION 2016 LUXEMBOURG

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PLEDGE OF AUTHENTICITY

I certify that this work is personal, cites all sources referred to and contains no plagiarism.

Magdalena Kolowca

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QUOTATIONS

“Mindfulness needs to be kindled and nurtured, protected from the winds of a busy life or a

restless and tormented mind, just as a small flame needs to be sheltered from strong gusts of

air.”

Kabat-Zinn, 2009, p. 227

“We think that happiness and well-being aren’t possible in the present. If you can stop and

establish yourself in the here and the now, you will see that there are many moments of

happiness available in this moment, more than enough for you to be happy.”

Thich Nhat Hanh, 2016, p. 23

“The mindful organisation is one which is self-aware, which knows where its attention is

going, and knows how well it’s doing it.”

Goleman, 2013, p. 22

Jon

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to:

Sybille Persson and Laurent Goldstein for their encouragement throughout the process.

Bertrand Agostini for his academic guidance and rigour.

Laurette, Khashayar and Christophe for their valuable contribution to the discussion.

Guy and Eric for their constant support and inspiration during preparation of this dissertation.

All colleagues, fellow students in the program, for making this year special.

To my Family

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... 6

Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 7 1. Mindful coaching - using mindfulness in coaching practice ......................................... 9

1.1. The concept of mindfulness ......................................................................................... 9 1.1.1. Origins and definition of mindfulness ................................................................... 9 1.1.2. Modern mindfulness - mindfulness as a skill and as a state of mind .................. 11

1.2. Principles of mindfulness ........................................................................................... 12 1.2.1. Buddhist approach ............................................................................................... 12 1.2.2. Mindfulness-based stress reduction approach ..................................................... 13

1.2.2.1. The attitudinal foundations ........................................................................... 13 1.2.2.2. Cultivating attitudes ...................................................................................... 15

1.3. Coaching and mindfulness – mindfulness-based coaching ....................................... 16 1.3.1. Mindful coach ..................................................................................................... 16 1.3.2. Coaching mindfulness ......................................................................................... 18

2. Being mindful – mindfulness exercises in coaching sessions to generate the development of individual well-being ............................................................................... 19

2.1. Practice of mindfulness .............................................................................................. 19 2.1.1. Formal practice .................................................................................................... 20 2.1.2. Informal practice ................................................................................................. 21

2.2. Improvement of well-being ........................................................................................ 21 2.2.1. Emotion regulation .............................................................................................. 22 2.2.2. Increased self-esteem .......................................................................................... 24 2.2.3. Development of self-compassion and empathy .................................................. 26

2.3. Mindfulness exercises in the coaching sessions ........................................................ 27 3. Mindful organisation - coaching through mindfulness in the workplace .................. 31

3.1. Stress management ..................................................................................................... 32 3.1.1. Good and bad stress ............................................................................................. 33 3.1.2. Stress reaction versus stress response ................................................................. 34

3.2. Mindful leadership ..................................................................................................... 35 3.2.1. Mindful and resonant leader ................................................................................ 36 3.2.2. Coaching leaders to become mindful and resonant ............................................. 37

3.3. Examples of mindfulness interventions in the business context ................................ 39

Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 43

Bibliography ........................................................................................................................... 45

Appendixes .............................................................................................................................. 48 Appendix A ....................................................................................................................... 48 Appendix B ....................................................................................................................... 52 Appendix C ....................................................................................................................... 59

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ABSTRACT

Thematic literature and research unanimously confirm that the positive effects arising from

practising mindfulness are very broad and relate to various aspects of individual well-being.

The benefits range from a decrease in depressive moods, anxiety and chronic health problems,

going through development of emotion regulation, self-esteem and empathy, finally reaching

effective stress management, boosts in productivity and an increase in the sense of happiness

and life satisfaction.

Mindfulness, a conscious presence in the current moment, can be efficiently applied to the

coaching practice. Qualified in mindfulness, the coach whose usual role is to assist and

support the client on his/her way to making progress in life may with a good appreciation of

the client’s needs, use concrete mindfulness exercises to facilitate the process of change.

Moreover, introducing mindfulness programs within organisations constitutes a relatively

easy and cost-effective way of enabling improvement in the health, performance and well-

being of both employees and leaders, resulting in healthier organisations.

The thesis explores the possibilities and usefulness of applying mindfulness in coaching

practice from different angles.

KEY WORDS

mindfulness, coaching, emotion regulation, stress, organisations

Number of characters: 62 950.

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INTRODUCTION

According to the OECD’s Guidelines on Measuring Subjective Well-being: “Subjective well-

being encompasses three different aspects: cognitive evaluations of one’s life, positive

emotions (joy, pride), and negative ones (pain, anger, worry). While these aspects of

subjective well-being have different determinants, in all cases these determinants go well

beyond people’s income and material conditions.” (2013, p. 10)

Nhat Hanh provides a very simple answer to the question of the factors determining the

individual sense of happiness and well-being. He states: “we don’t have to travel far away to

enjoy the blue sky. We don’t have to leave our city or even our neighbourhood to enjoy the

eyes of a beautiful child. (…) We can smile, breathe, walk, and eat our meals in a way that

allows us to be in touch with the abundance of happiness that is available. (…) We need only

to be awake, alive in the present moment.” (Nhat Hanh, 1991, p. 5)

In order to verify how far this answer is satisfactory, in the present thesis we will explore the

ways of using mindfulness by a coach with the objective of enhancing the individual’s well-

being, which may also, in the long run, reflect in healthier organisations.

To this end, in the first chapter we will accurately define the concept of mindfulness, looking

closely into its foundations and principles. The possible ways in which mindfulness can be

applied by a coach will also be described.

The second chapter will focus on potential benefits arising from mindfulness being practised

by an individual. We will analyse what is hidden under the mindful personality and with what

exercises as proposed by a coach mindful traits can be deepened.

Considering that, as evidence shows, employee health and well-being are crucial for

organisational success, in the third chapter we will verify what impact mindfulness can have

when practised within organisations.

Moreover, we will draw attention to the importance and the key role that mindful leadership

plays in enhancing general well-being within companies. We will also look for real examples

of organisations that have already turned into acknowledging and internally applying

mindfulness programs with great success.

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In order to diversify and enrich our research, based mainly on literature and scientific and

business articles, two interviews with mindfulness experts were conducted. Lastly, the

interview held with a person who in a particular life situation took part in mindfulness

training is meant as a contribution to this discussion and a real experience proving the reality

and meaning of our work.

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1. MINDFUL COACHING - USING MINDFULNESS IN COACHING PRACTICE

1.1. THE CONCEPT OF MINDFULNESS

"We are very good at preparing to live, but not very good at living. We know how to sacrifice

ten years for a diploma, and we are willing to work very hard to get a job, a car, a house, and

so on. But we have difficulty remembering that we are alive in the present moment, the only

moment there is for us to be alive." (Nhat Hanh, 1991, p. 5) The sentence above provides an

excellent and simple description of mindfulness – the awareness and appreciation of every

single moment as being the only one that exists.

1.1.1. ORIGINS AND DEFINITION OF MINDFULNESS

Mindfulness has a very long history originating in ancient Buddhist meditation practices..

Originally, a Sanskrit word, Sati, described mindfulness as having two aspects: the awareness

of what is happening, and its memory. (Bodhi 2011, in Chiesa 2013) It can also be defined as

self-collectedness and powers of reference or retention1. "In classical Buddhism, the

development of Sati is not seen as an end in itself." (Gethin 2001, in Chiesa 2013, p. 256) The

final goal is the reduction of human suffering and achievement of inner calm and

psychological well-being. (Gethin 2001, in Chiesa 2013)

As regards the definition of mindfulness, it might be expressed as paying attention to the

present moment in body and mind with awareness, kindness and acceptance. Hall talks about

“mind-body-heart-full-ness” indicating that “it is a way of being, one which helps us develop

empathy, compassion, clarity and wisdom”, and that “it is a way of training and transforming

the mind.” (Hall, 2013, p. 30) Kabat-Zinn speaks about “heartfulness” indicating that in Asian

languages “mind” and “heart” are the same word. (2013, p. 36)

1 Following the explanation provided by a glossary of Pali and Buddhist Terms available at: www.accesstoinsight.org

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Three elements that compose the definition of mindfulness can be listed: intention, attention

and attitude. These elements are linked and depend on one another. Intention expresses the

direction a person envisages taking based on his/her values and hopes. Attention means being

focused on the present moment in all its reality and richness. The last element, attitude, relates

to openness, kindness and acceptance of whatever the present moment brings. (Shapiro,

Wang, Peltason, in Reb, Atkins, 2015) All three elements are interdependent and necessary in

order to achieve the fulfilling state of being mindful.

Developing further the definition of mindfulness in a broad context, it could be said that

mindfulness is "a way of being, a way of relating to experience, moment by moment. (…) It is

embodied and not simply about cognitive “mind” training. It is a way of being, of inhabiting

life fully, requiring us to connect with our heart, emotions and bodies.” (Shapiro, Wang,

Peltason in Reb, Arkins, 2015, p. 50-51) Mindfulness is a way of life.

Hasson indicates that our mind is lost in thoughts for 46,9 % of the time that we spend on

performing an activity. These findings reflect the way our minds work. On the one hand, we

drift in the past, sinking into memories or ruminations that may provoke depressive thinking.

On the other hand, we try to imagine and foresee the future that, being unknown, becomes a

source of stress and fear, making us forget to live fully in the present moment. (Hasson, 2013)

Nhat Hanh pointed out that “sometimes our thoughts run around in circles and we’re engulfed

in distrust, pessimism, conflict, sorrow, or jealousy. This state of mind will naturally manifest

in our words and actions and cause harm to us and to others.” (2016, p. 45)

In other words, we are spending much of our time and our present moments involved in

“mind wandering.” (Shapiro, Wang, Peltason in Reb, Atkins, 2015, p. 53)

Untrained minds are very easily distracted by narrative trains of thoughts. In order to stop

this, we need to refocus our attention regularly. “During this repeated refocusing, an attitude

of acceptance prevents negative thoughts, such as self-judgment and resultant mental

proliferation, from arising and prevents the practice itself from becoming a source of

aversion.” (Chiesa, 2013, p. 257)

Subsequently, the potential question of the importance of attention refocusing might be

answered briefly in the following way: according to the above-mentioned findings, the feeling

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of happiness is greatest in people where their mind is fully focused on what they are doing at

the particular moment. (Hasson, 2013, p. 33)

Here, the space opens for practicing mindfulness as it “wakes us up to the fact that our lives

unfold only in moments. If we are not fully present for many of those moments, we may not

only miss what is most valuable in our lives but also fail to realize the richness and the depth

of our possibilities for growth and transformation.” (Kabat-Zinn, 2013, p. 24)

1.1.2. MODERN MINDFULNESS - MINDFULNESS AS A SKILL AND AS A STATE OF MIND

Originating in the Eastern world, mindfulness found its place in the modern Western world

with the creation of the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program (MBSR), developed in

the late 1970s at the Stress Reduction Clinic of the University of Massachusetts Medical

Center, by Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn. According to Kabat-Zinn, mindfulness, “has nothing to

do with Buddhism per se or with becoming a Buddhist, but it has everything with waking up

and living in harmony with oneself and with the world. It has to do with examining who we

are, with questioning our view of the world and our place in it, and with cultivating some

appreciation for the fullness of each moment we are alive.” (Kabat-Zinn, 2013, p. 23)

Classically, MBSR is composed of eight two-hour weekly sessions, according to the

following outline for each consecutive week: automatic pilot, mindfulness of the breath,

mindfulness of the body moving, managing reactions, letting things be, recognizing thoughts

and emotions as mental events, taking good care of yourself, living mindfully. (Kabat-Zinn,

2013) The outline reflects briefly the main components of the mindfulness concept. The good

news is that according to Kabat-Zinn “mindfulness is a skill that can be developed through

practice, just like any other skill.” (2013, p. 33) The key to success is regular and constant

practice.

In fact, mindfulness is a far-reaching general practice going much beyond its spiritual roots.

(Stahl, Goldstein, 2015) Indeed, the fact that the MBSR program was first used in clinics,

hospitals and prisons resulted in the development of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy

(MBCT) (MAPPG, 2015), and paved the way for introducing the concept, and making it very

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popular and even a fashionable practice used nowadays in private courses, in education, sport

and companies.

It is important to underline that there is a strong link between mindfulness and meditation. It

could be said that mindfulness is a form of meditation in the sense of practicing moment-to-

moment awareness of time. (Kabat-Zinn, 2013)

Furthermore, mindfulness can be considered as a state. “Mindfulness is a mixture of two

states: a state of attention and a state of consciousness. Once you are paying attention, next

you are absolutely conscious what you are paying attention to. Both of them happen only in

the here and now." (Pazooki, Appendix B, 2016)

Nevertheless, mindfulness is much more than that. It is a way of becoming fully aware of

one’s way of life, with appreciation and gratitude for what we experience in the present

moment as being the most precious thing that we actually have.

1.2. PRINCIPLES OF MINDFULNESS

1.2.1. BUDDHIST APPROACH

According to Chaskalson and Hadley, there are four aspects of mindful awareness: thoughts,

feelings, sensations and experiences. The origins of this classification lie in the Buddhist

approach. (in Reb, Atkins, 2015)

The thought-related aspect is linked to paying fully aware attention to the body through

breathing meditation while walking, eating or lying down.

The second aspect is that feelings are considered in the sense of pure feelings, without being

captured. It is about stopping oneself to feel on the level of mere sensory response, without

the involvement of emotions, and without reaction. No matter whether we are experiencing

discomfort or pain, we are not affected by these feelings.

The third foundation described as sensations means a non-judgemental attitude towards

mental activity. Therefore, we recognise the content of our mind but we do not judge it. This

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attitude is crucial in mindfulness, enabling us to transform suffering and bring relief. Finally,

experience as the last aspect of mindful awareness should be seen as actually experiencing the

Buddha’s teachings and their role in reality.

When these four elements are applied, perspective and distance develop, enabling one to

appreciate fully the present moment that is naturally evolving - without being trapped by what

is happening. (Chaskalson, Hadley in Reb, Atkins, 2015, p. 102-105)

1.2.2. MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION APPROACH

In parallel, we could describe the principles of mindfulness as defined by the modern

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program (MBSR). In the MBSR context Kabat-Zinn

says about the attitudinal foundations to practising mindfulness:

“So the attitude that we bring to the practice of mindfulness will to a large extent determine

its long-term value to us. (…) Your intentions set a stage for what is possible. Keeping

particular attitudes in mind is actually part of the training itself, a way of directing and

channelling your energies so that they can be most effectively brought to bear in the work of

growing and healing.” (Kabat-Zinn, 2013, p. 21)

1.2.2.1. THE ATTITUDINAL FOUNDATIONS

The attitudes as defined by Kabat-Zinn are: non-judging, patience, a beginner’s mind, trust,

non-striving, acceptance and letting go. He provides broad explanation of each of them:

v Non-judging

As already mentioned, our mind wanders through our past experiences and future potential

occurrences. Moreover, we are constantly judging or internally commenting and evaluating,

not only past or future but also present moments.

At the heart of mindfulness lies a non-judgemental attitude, while paying attention to the here

and the now. This attitude means that “we can act with much greater clarity in our own lives,

and be more balanced, more effective, and more ethical in our activities, if we know that we

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are immersed in a stream of unconscious liking and disliking which screens us from the world

and from the basic purity of our own being.” (Kabat-Zinn, 2009, p. 88) In the Buddhist

approach, this was the third aspect linked to sensations.

Practising the non-judgemental attitude enables us to observe the present moment clearly - as

it actually is. Indeed, a judgmental mind stimulates our automatic reactions, locking us into

negative emotions, undermining our self-confidence and increasing stress.

vPatience

Patience means accepting that things happen in their own time. Developing patience leads to

development of openness to the present moment, with understanding that there is no need to

fulfil present moments with additional activities, and thinking of how to make them more

valuable or richer. “Patience can be a particularly helpful quality to invoke when the mind is

agitated. It can help us to accept this wandering tendency of mind while reminding us that we

don’t have to get caught up in its travels.” (Kabat-Zinn, 2013, p. 109)

v Beginner’s mind

Practising mindfulness with the beginners’ mind demands our openness and willingness to

perceive the present moment, without expectations stemming from our past. It should help us

to perceive the present moment in such a way that we would look at what is happening for the

first time without putting on the glasses of our opinions and thoughts. “An open 'beginners

mind' allows us to be receptive to new possibilities and prevents us from getting stuck in the

rut of our own expertise, which often thinks it knows more than it does.” (Kabat-Zinn, 2013,

p. 110)

v Trust

The subsequent attitudinal foundation to practising mindfulness is related to trust. This means

trust in oneself, in one’s skills, perception and intuition. It is also a respect for one’s own

feelings, regardless of the general perception of other people or of mistakes made in the past.

It is about honouring and listening to yourself, and being yourself. (Kabat-Zinn, 2013)

v Non-striving

A non-striving attitude enables the mind to be freed from the need to go in one fixed

direction. It liberates a person to achieve specific goals. Furthermore, it opens the space to

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embrace the present moment, and everything happening in it, with acceptance, with internal

freedom and without tension regarding achievement and success. (Kabat-Zinn, 2013)

v Acceptance

All the attitudes already listed are linked one to another, and the same relates to acceptance,

mentioned a few times before. Kabat-Zinn says: “my working definition of healing is coming

to terms with things as they are” (2013, p. 27), coming to terms in the sense of accepting

whatever happens in the here and now.

As an alternative, reality may be rejected, denied, or at least negatively commented on

sapping a person’s energy to develop and heal, and not allowing real change to happen.

Acceptance means acceptance of the present moment as it is, and acceptance of oneself.

v Letting go

Letting go means non-attachment to our thoughts and experiences. It means allowing them to

be as they are with acceptance and without judgement. “When we find out ourselves judging

our experience, we let go of those judging thoughts. We recognise them and we just don’t

pursue them any further. We let them be, and in doing so we let them go.” (Kabat-Zinn, 2013,

p. 935)

An example of non-letting go might be intrusive thoughts that do not allow a person to sleep.

In this case attachment to and involvement in specific thoughts is so strong that letting things

go seems impossible. The healing way is just to observe thoughts, watch them, let them be

and let them go. (Kabat-Zinn, 2013)

1.2.2.2. CULTIVATING ATTITUDES

Apart from all the attitudinal foundations to practising mindfulness, Kabat-Zinn lists

additional qualities of heart and mind that help to deepen and fully invite mindfulness into

everyday life. They are “non-harming, generosity, gratitude, forbearance, forgiveness,

kindness, compassion, emphatic joy and equanimity.” (Kabat-Zinn, 2013, p. 935) Thinking in

terms of these qualities is already a form of cultivation and deepening of them in everyday

life.

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On the one hand, all the described foundations and attitudes are inherent and crucial to

deepening mindfulness and a mindful state. On the other hand, we can achieve, not totally,

but at least partially, the described attitudes and qualities, thanks to practising mindfulness

and becoming mindful. (Pazooki, 2016, Appendix B)

Nhat Hanh states: “We should feel satisfaction in every breath, in every step, in every action.

This is true fulfilment. When you breathe in and out, there is fulfilment. When you take a

step, there is fulfilment. When you perform any action, there is the fulfilment that comes from

living deeply in the present moment.” (2015, p. 82)

1.3. COACHING AND MINDFULNESS – MINDFULNESS-BASED COACHING

In recent years, mindfulness has found its solid position in the coaching process, leading

finally to the development of mindfulness-based coaching. Numerous research into the

benefits of practising mindfulness have also revealed the interest in this concept being used in

coaching. (Hall, 2013)

Indeed, this subject can be approached through two different perspectives: from the angle of

the coach practising mindfulness, in order to develop certain skills for himself/herself to

become a mindful coach; or from the second perspective – with the necessary training, a

coach can teach clients how to become mindful through exercises and techniques.

1.3.1. MINDFUL COACH

According to Passmore and Marianetti, coaches practising mindfulness can firstly use

mindfulness exercises to prepare for a session. Furthermore, they could benefit from

practising mindfulness in order to enhance and improve their capacity to maintain focus in the

session and remain emotionally detached during the session. (2013, p. 131-138)

v Proper preparation for the session is the first task of the coach who, having a tight

schedule, numerous commitments and tasks to handle, is exposed to stress. Therefore, in

order to be able to respond fully to a client’s needs, it seems necessary for a coach to find

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some time before a session to concentrate, bring attention to the present moment and direct it

fully to the client’s needs. One-minute or three-minute meditation in the spirit of mindfulness

just before the session starts can help the coach to focus. (Passmore and Marianetti, 2013, p.

137-138)

v Maintaining focus in the session is crucial for the session to be productive and beneficial to

the client. A wandering mind is an equal challenge for the coach, as for other people, so

mindfulness can help the coach to bring his/her attention back to the client and to fully focus

on him/her. “Mindful coaches are able to maintain a kind of watchfulness over their own

minds.” (Chaskalson, 2011, p. 114)

v Remaining emotionally detached, on the one hand, from one’s own moods and emotions,

and on the other hand from the emotions of the client, is a basic skill for a coach. Concerning

coachees’ emotions, the coach may feel them with empathy, however he cannot allow

himself/herself to be absorbed or “flooded” by them to enable the coaching relationship to be

challenging and constructive for a coachee helping him to progress. (Passmore and

Marianetti, 2013, p. 137-138)

Another key aspect of practicing mindfulness by a coach lies in the development of his/her

empathy, helping him to understand his/her client’s needs. “Mindfulness enhances the coach’s

capacity to be fully present to their clients, to give them a sense that they are being fully heard

and fully seen in a context where their unique experience as an individual is accepted and not

judged.” (Chaskalson, 2011, p. 116)

The same thing stems from openness and acceptance deepened by practising mindfulness,

which helps the coach and the client to establish a constructive and real coaching relationship,

to be attuned with the client, creating certain comfort for the client to open, follow his/her

feelings and finally proceed and change. (Chaskalson, 2011)

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1.3.2. COACHING MINDFULNESS

Depending on the client's needs, mindfulness can be also taught to a coachee by a coach2. As

mentioned by Passmore and Marianetti, teaching mindfulness to clients is the fourth way

mindfulness can be beneficially used in coaching. (2013, p. 131-138)

Mindfulness-based coaching can be applied to clients in three areas:

1) stress management and resilience (e.g. stopping automatic reactions, gaining self-

acceptance and self-esteem, increasing inner calm, increasing resilience);

2) functioning and performance (improvement of concentration and decision-making,

enhancement of concentration, improvement of creativity and strategic thinking);

3) interpersonal aspects (improvement of conflict management, development of authentic

and compassionate leadership). (Hall in Reb, Atkins, 2015, p. 632-633)

To summarise, mindfulness and coaching can go perfectly well together, bringing benefits to

the coaches, clients and the mutual coaching relationship. (Hall, 2013) Still, there is plenty of

room for further research in this respect, as this partnership is relatively new. Nevertheless, as

Liz Hall said: “I think mindfulness builds awareness. Awareness increases choices. And isn’t

that what coaching is about.” (2013, p. 303)

2 This topic will be further developed in point 2.3 and 3.2.2. of this thesis.

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2. BEING MINDFUL – MINDFULNESS EXERCISES IN COACHING SESSIONS TO GENERATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDIVIDUAL WELL-

BEING

“Mindful people do not fall back into old habits when facing changes and are not constrained

by already known concepts, but are flexible when it comes to interpreting and coping with

changed situations.” (Langer 1997, in Reb, Atkins, 2015, p. 501) Focusing on "the here and

now", instead of on the past or on the future, is crucial to achieving a higher sense of

happiness and life satisfaction. Being mindful helps one better control his/her behaviour and

impulsive reactions. Mindful people are more self-aware, have higher self-esteem and better

relationships. (Chaskalson, 2011) Furthermore, mindfulness improves the capacity to manage

stress effectively and to be more resilient. “Being mindful, doing mindfulness in the broad

sense will help a person to be psychologically and physiologically a lot healthier than before.”

(Pazooki, 2016, Appendix B)

The question that arises and that will be explored in this chapter is how to become mindful;

how with a coach’s help an individual may efficiently incorporate all excellent principles of

mindfulness into life, and how one can improve his/her everyday well-being.

2.1. PRACTICE OF MINDFULNESS

Reading numerous books and articles, studying and knowing the definitions of mindfulness

and principles theoretically is merely a prerequisite to really knowing what mindfulness

means. The true essence of mindfulness can be actually perceived solely by being introduced

into life through constant practice.

Indeed, regular and long-term practice is the basis of becoming mindful with all the benefits

mindfulness generates. “The potential is huge and endless, but if we don’t practise, the

potential will remain only a potential. Only practice will help us realise the potential, put it

into practice and apply it to life.” (Bergamelli, 2016, Appendix A)

Kabat-Zinn reminds us that: "Mindfulness practice means that we commit fully in each

moment to being present. There is no performance. (…) The spirit of mindfulness is to

practice for its own sake, and just to take each moment as it comes - pleasant or unpleasant,

good, bad, or ugly – and then work with that because it is what is present now. With this

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attitude life becomes practice." (2013, p. 45-46) This is exactly what we envisage to achieve

through formal and informal practicing ways. “And while it is a practice that can improve our

lives, it is also a way of being – attentive, courteous, curious, conscientious, and

compassionate.” (Chaskalson, 2011, p. 13)

2.1.1. FORMAL PRACTICE

Formal practice is based on formal meditation exercises that can be applied through different

long-term and short-term mindfulness programs and sessions. (Chaskalson, 2011)

The core of the meditation exercises is based on focusing attention on breathing. “The

practice of mindfulness of the breath teaches us to remain focused in the present moment

while letting go of thoughts that we don’t choose to have. This is a concentrative method that

progressively calms the mind and provides the mental strength to prevent overthinking.”

(Cayoun, 2015, p. 166) In other words, “the way how we breathe has an influence on how we

are, whether we feel at ease or in alert.” (Pazooki, 2016, Appendix B) Thus, mindfulness

formal practice exercises such as body scan, sitting meditation or breathing spaces are, among

others, based on careful and conscious focus on breathing.

However, respiration exercises are only one of the elements helping a person to become

mindful. “I can have an excellent respiration but I can sit in the corner and have very negative

thoughts therefore, I have to pay attention and be conscious about breathing but I also have to

pay attention and be conscious about what I think, what I do, perceive and what I feel and say.

This is the whole in itself” (Pazooki, 2016, Appendix B) and it shouldn’t be forgotten.

Siegel mentions that mindfulness meditation is “mental practice for opening up attention,

thus, the objective is not to select a particular object to focus on, but to notice the shifting

experiences. (Siegel et al., 2009, in Ivtzan, Hart, Baltzell, 2016, p. 32) The crucial aspect then

lies in noticing changes happening in the mind.

In addition, Nhat Hanh clarifies: “To meditate means to pay full attention to something. It

doesn’t mean to run away from life. Instead it’s an opportunity to look deeply into ourselves

and into the situation we’re in.” (2016, p. 21)

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2.1.2. INFORMAL PRACTICE

Informal practice relates to practising mindfulness at any chosen moment during everyday

activities, in particular during repetitive activities, which usually people do automatically,

such as taking a shower, eating or washing the dishes. Paying attention to a particular activity

with full awareness can become an everyday mindfulness exercise. In fact, constant change in

attitude during ordinary activities may lead to a more conscious state in the given moment and

well-being in the long term. (Pawlowska, 2016)

The important aspect of informal practice is that it doesn’t require any earlier planning,

additional free hours in a tight schedule or a specific place to do it. On the contrary, it enables

a person to practice mindfulness more frequently and regularly in every situation and

environment. It is an opportunity to invite and naturally install mindfulness in one’s life

routine.

2.2. IMPROVEMENT OF WELL-BEING

Even though mindfulness was initially applied in medical settings, it subsequently gained

popularity and started to be practised in companies, schools and private courses.

“Mindfulness training has found its place at every core of therapeutic programs and is

currently one of the most discussed approaches for general well-being and personal growth

for the general public.” (Cayoun, 2015, p. 24)

Studies concerning mindfulness have proved that practising it leads to a reduction in

psychological distress, among other forms, depression, anxiety and chronic health problems.

(Kabat-Zinn, 2013) However, the training proved to have a variety of positive effects,

including increased motivation, self-acceptance, better creativity, increased well-being and

higher life satisfaction. (Pawłowska, 2015-2016)

Indeed, the reasons for this development were linked to the much broader scope of benefits

resulting from mindfulness than initially considered. Further research confirmed that “(…)

mindfulness cultivates self-awareness (…)” and that “the relationships skills that are the most

visible part of self-awareness are built directly on how you handle yourself and your empathy.

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Those in turn are based on self-awareness, so mindfulness is fundamental to emotional

intelligence.” (Goleman in Bush, 2013, p. 24)

Thus, being mindful and living mindfully decreases not only psychological distress but also

improves self-regulation, self-esteem and empathy. It increases performance, and develops

decision-making skills. All the above enhance an individual’s general-well-being, leading in

the long term to better quality of life.

2.2.1. EMOTION REGULATION

Moore considers that “mindfulness and emotion regulation are inextricably connected (…).”

(Moore by Baltzell, 2016, p. 68) Certainly, the influence of positive and negative emotions on

health is evident. (Goleman, 2012) “The interaction between mind, the nervous system, and

the immune system provides a psychological basis for the influence of emotions on health.”

(Varela in Goleman, 2012, p. 61)

An emotion can be defined as a person’s response at cognitive level (e.g. thoughts or

observed behaviour reactions such as facial expressions at a certain feeling state) or

psychological level (conscious bodily sensations). Going one step further, an emotion is

composed of three elements: “the felt bodily experience, the cognition or thought, and an

expressive reaction.” (Saron, Davidson in Goleman, 2009, p. 100)

According to Aldao, regulation of emotions is “the process by which individuals modify their

emotional experience, expressions, and physiology and the situations that elicit the emotions

in an effort to produce appropriate responses to the demands imposed by the environment.”

(in Reb, Atkins, 2015, p. 363) Moore describes this process as “ (…) skills and strategies

through which we monitor, evaluate, experience, express and tolerate or modulate emotional

reactions.” (in Baltzell, 2016, p. 71)

An emotion can be “adaptive or maladaptive” in particular context depending on “whether it

promotes or impedes functional goal-directed action.” (Moore in Baltzell, 2016, p. 70) The

adaptive emotional response requires the above-mentioned skills and strategies “while

simultaneously functioning in a goal/values-directed manner.” (Ibidem, 2016, p. 72)

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Goleman considers that “(…) keeping our emotions in check is the key to emotional well-

being; extreme emotions that wax too intensely or for too long – undermine our stability.”

(2009, p. 65)

Furthermore, high reactivity undermines the ability to make right decisions. "Learning to

pause and create distance between the reactive emotion and the action space for wiser

choice." (Hunter in Reb, Atkins, 2015, p. 588) It may have particular importance in a stressful

situation enabling a person to respond instead of react to a stressor3. Aware regulation of

emotional responses decreases reactivity and enhances easier adaptation to changing external

circumstances.

Goleman clarifies that self-awareness is the first part of emotional intelligence, self-regulation

is the second and empathy the third. (Goleman, 2013) All three aspects are closely connected.

Thus, by increasing self-awareness4 and attention to internal feelings and bodily sensations,

mindfulness improves the development of emotion regulation. (Reb, Atkins, 2015)

The second aspect related to emotion regulation is that mindfulness stimulates the

development of metacognitive skills which, as a consequence, facilitate the recognition of

negative thought patterns. Such skills are highly important as non-judgmental awareness

enables “a healthy engagement with emotional states.” (Hayens and Feldman, 2004 in

Baltzell, 2016, p. 76)

Certainly, a person mindful of his/her own “thoughts, feelings and body sensations” and

developing better metacognitive awareness becomes able to change his/her attitude to what is

happening in the present moment and to reply not automatically but with consciousness.

Thus, the creativity in finding solutions broadens the spectrum of choices regarding how to

react to particular situations. (Chaskalson, 2011, Kabat-Zinn, 2013)

Metacognitive awareness helps both to decrease negative thoughts and feelings as well as to

choose in what way one can deal with unhelpful thoughts. It increases understanding that

thoughts are not facts. It also enables a person to recognize that what is happening, and the

interpretation of what is happening, do not necessarily mean the same. (Chaskalson, 2011)

3 This subject is developed in chapter 3 of this thesis.

4 Self-awareness is expressed as the ability to "read your own emotions and recognise their impact while using gut feeling to guide decisions." (Chaskalson, 2011, p. 91)

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“We create an ever-changing running commentary on the events that take place within our

awareness. Sometimes we get it wrong. This can lead to all sorts of problems because, often,

along with these inferences come emotional reactions.” (Chaskalson, 2011, p. 78)

Awareness increased through mindfulness enables a person to observe a thought at a

particular moment and let it go. (Goleman, 2009) Nhat Hanh explains that “many people have

the desire to let go, but they’re not able to do so because they don’t yet have enough insight;

they haven’t seen other alternatives, other doorways to peace and happiness. Fear is an

element that prevents us from letting go. We’re fearful that if we let go we’ll have nothing

else to cling to. Letting go is a practice; it’s an art. One day, when you’re strong enough and

determined enough, you’ll let go of the afflictions that make you suffer.” (2015, p. 57)

Indeed, one possible way to change the conditions that increase suffering is to change mind

content (Reb, Atkins, 2015) or at least to observe the content without attachment. According

to Goleman, “(…) it is not that we want to do away with emotion and put reason in its place,

as Erasmus had it, but instead find the intelligent balance of the two. The old paradigm held

an ideal of reason freed of the pull of emotion. The new paradigm urges us to harmonise head

and heart.” (2009, p. 40)

To sum up, a more mindful person, capable of self-regulating properly, experiences more

work and family related satisfaction and fewer negative emotions over time. (Williams, 2010

in Reb, Atkins, 2015) The same is confirmed by Allen, Cho and Meier stating that “improved

emotional self-regulation may also help facilitate effective work and family boundary

management.” (2014, in Reb, Atkins, 2015, 664)

2.2.2. INCREASED SELF-ESTEEM

Self-esteem is crucial for mental health and well-being. “Low self-esteem is a basic tendency

to place one’s value in the hands of others, rather than trusting and believing in our own

evaluation of ourselves (…).” (Ward, 2015, p. 13) Thus, self-esteem is related to a person's

self-perspective and self- evaluation.

Chaskalson considers that mindful people “have higher, more stable self-esteem that is less

dependent on external factors.” (2011, p. 15) Indeed, “building healthy self-esteem comes

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from learning to value ourselves and not depending on other people’s opinions of us.” (2015,

Ward, p. 15)

There are two types of self-esteem: situational, and related to character. (McKay and Fanning,

2000 in Hall, 2013) Situational means that one doesn’t feel at ease with oneself in particular

circumstances. Characterological self-esteem is a general trait of a person that can result from,

for example, early childhood. It is much more difficult to re-work character-related lack of

self-esteem, which may probably need therapy. (Hall, 2013).

Ward clarifies that people with high self-esteem “(…) believe they can meet challenges that

arise and cope with life. Likewise, they don’t fear they’ll lose what they have and they believe

they deserve it, whether it’s career success, relationships or happiness.” (2015, p. 15)

In fact, self-esteem is related to a variety of positive outcomes such as high motivation to

overcome obstacles, openness to constructive criticism, courage to freely express one’s

opinions and ideas, and acceptance of weaknesses. (Ward, 2015)

The relationship between mindfulness and self-esteem is very strong. Being mindful enables a

person to recognize negative feelings and self-critical thoughts, “and then choosing how to

respond to them rather than simply reacting to them out of fear.” (Ward, 2015, p. 15)

Furthermore, Ward considers that this helps to develop healthy self-esteem as “once you

develop awareness, you can work on bringing acceptance to your experience, accepting the

thoughts as just thoughts, accepting the emotions they trigger, and gradually accepting

yourself as you are.” (2015, p. 15)

Therefore, enhanced through mindfulness, attention focused on “the here and now” helps a

person to be less vulnerable to critical thoughts. The person becomes aware that negative

thoughts are temporary in nature, so they finally pass. According to Brown and Heppener

“because mindfulness is a state of open-mindedness and non-evaluative awareness, mindful

individuals (…) experience less ego-involvement and are better able to disengage from self

concerns.” (Chaskalson, 2011, p. 299) Accordingly, this may lead to an increase in levels of

self-esteem.

Furthermore, taking into account that mindfulness helps to develop self-compassion it “(…)

allows you to let go of your own negative beliefs and to see yourself as someone who

deserves to be loved, accepted and appreciated. When you’re compassionate you can offer

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that love and acceptance to yourself.” (Ward, 2015, p. 17)

2.2.3. DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-COMPASSION AND EMPATHY

The importance of self-compassion is evident. It protects against anxiety, self-judgment and

criticism, decreases stress levels, increases positive emotions such as enthusiasm and

optimism and improves coping mechanisms. (Hall, 2013, Chaskalson, 2011) "(…) a key

element in the process of developing empathy is the cultivation of self-compassion which is a

natural by-product of mindfulness training" (Chaskalson, 2011, p. 96).

According to Neff, “instead of mercilessly judging and criticizing yourself for various

inadequacies or shortcomings, self-compassion means you are kind and understanding when

confronted with personal failings. (…) The more you open your heart to this reality instead of

constantly fighting against it, the more you will be able to feel compassion for yourself and all

your fellow humans in the experience of life.”5

Neff considers that self-kindness (support for and comprehension of ourselves), common

humanity (recognition that making mistakes and failures is normal part of everyone's life) and

mindfulness constitute self-compassion. Thus, mindfulness is a core element of self-

compassion. The three elements of self-compassion are either distinct or they influence each

other and interact.

Furthermore, Neff explains that "self-compassion also requires taking a balanced approach to

our negative emotions so that feelings are neither suppressed nor exaggerated. This

equilibrated stance stems from the process of relating personal experiences to those of others

who are also suffering, thus putting our own situation into a larger perspective. It also stems

from the willingness to observe our negative thoughts and emotions with openness and

clarity, so that they are held in mindful awareness.” (Ibidem)

Concerning empathy, Goleman underlines that “empathy builds on self-awareness; the more

open we are to our own emotions, the more skilled we will be in reading feelings." (2009, p.

5 Source: http://self-compassion.org/the-three-elements-of-self-compassion-2/

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106) As emotions are often expressed by observed bodily reactions the ability to recognize

non-verbal talk helps to understand what another person actually feels. The importance of

empathy, which is, according to Goleman (Goleman, 2013) one of the elements of emotional

intelligence, shows on many levels of everyday life, both in personal and professional life.

(Ibidem, p. 9)

Nevertheless, in order to understand others, firstly one needs to realize and accept with

kindness one’s own feelings and thoughts. (Reb, Atkins, 2015) Developing mindfulness

brings the development of empathy, increasing "social effectiveness." (Chaskalson, 2011, p.

95)

Mindfulperson–caseofChristophe

In August 2016, I conducted an interview with Christophe who due to burnout

participated in the eight weeks’ mindfulness programme. He described himself as a

person who, before going to mindfulness sessions, got easily stressed, distracted and

who was not assertive. Christophe said that as a result of the training he became

calmer and more focused. He stated that his interactions with other people improved

as he started to listen to others with non-judgmental and conscious attention. Thanks

to breathing exercises and the daily informal practice that he continued after the

programme ended, he become more able to control negative thoughts and to

appreciate present moments as they are. (2016, Appendix C)

2.3. MINDFULNESS EXERCISES IN THE COACHING SESSIONS

I asked the experts interviewed about their opinion regarding proposing mindfulness exercises

by a coach to a client at the coaching sessions. Both of them agreed, and confirmed that the

idea is very good and worth implementing, and that it even seems to be urgently needed.

(Bergamelli, 2016, Appendix A, Pazooki, 2016, Appendix B) Nevertheless, a first condition

for coaches intending to propose mindfulness exercises is to practise mindfulness by

themselves. “You can’t just talk about mindfulness if you are not practising it yourself

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because you can only speak from your own experiences. If you are not experiencing it, it is

not possible to train other people in it.” (Bergamelli, 2016, Appendix A)

Depending on the client’s needs, a coach may introduce a concept of mindfulness to a client

explaining the benefits resulting from practising it. It may be worth proposing informal

practice to a client as a natural, easy and time-saving way for him to get acquainted with the

mindfulness concept and its positive effects on everyday life.

As regards formal mindfulness exercises, the coach can propose and explain them during the

coaching session, depending on the particular needs of a coachee.

v Emotion regulation exercises

Thebody-scan

In order to improve management of emotions the body-scan exercise can be proposed. In this

exercise the attention is to be focused on bodily sensations, helping a person to become

familiar with them and the changes that happen in them at each particular moment.

In the lying position, a person is asked to focus on breathing and sensations coming from the

body. Attention should be paid to different parts of the body, starting from the feet, and to

different sensations linked to them. Once the tension in any “scanned” part of the body

appears, through “breathing in” the attention can be directed to this tension, leading to

conscious release of the tension with “breathing out”.

When during the practice the mind is wandering, or other distractions appear, the person

should redirect his/her attention back to the respective part of the body, refocus on it and on

breathing. (Alberts, Hulsheger in Reb, Atkins, 2015, p. 182, Chaskalson, 2011, p. 41)

Thethree-minutebreathingspaceexercise

The three-minute breathing exercise can be proposed as a daily short practice. This exercise

means making a three-minute pause to observe what happens in the present moment. It can be

done in each position (standing, sitting) and in almost every situation.

The exercise has three one-minute parts:

ü awareness: one asks him/herself questions “Where am I? What am I thinking? What

do I feel?”

ü gathering: the person focuses attention on breathing;

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ü expanding: attention broadens to embrace breath, bodily sensations in the whole body,

smells, sounds, the whole space with kindness and calm. (Alberts, Hulsheger in Reb,

Atkins, 2015, Hall, 2013)

Theone-minutemeditation–themindfulminuteexercise

In a relaxed sitting position with eyes closed, attention should be focused on breathing.

However, in this exercise a person is asked to count the number of “natural” breaths taken

during one minute (a timer in a mobile phone may serve as one minute counting). The person

should count with each “breathing-out”.

Remembering the number of breaths taken during the exercise can be used to become more

mindful regularly a few times a day or, for instance, before an important meeting while taking

a minute just to breathe counting the number of exhalations. (Chaskalson, 2011)

Intrusivethoughtexerciseandexercisetodeepenmetacognitiveskills

Following a one-minute meditation, a person, while sitting in a comfortable position, is asked

to kindly acknowledge his/her appearing thoughts, whatever they are in the given moment.

Subsequently, attention should be paid with full awareness to bodily sensations, in order to

recognize what they are and whether they represent anger, anxiety or any other emotion with

the objective of acknowledging all appearing feelings. Lastly, physical sensations and

tensions should be brought to attention by a person with kind acceptance, “exploring them,

breathing with them, just letting them be.” (Chaskalson, 2011, p. 80)

Awarenessofbreath–themetacognitiveshiftexercise

As already mentioned, practice of breath awareness enhances the “integration of the mind,

body and emotions. Intentionally focusing on a single object can steady the mind.”

(Chaskalson, 2011, p. 35) As in the body scan, when the mind starts to wander, attention

should be kindly paid again to breathing. Goleman states: “Wandering mind is an unhappy

mind.” (Bush, 2013, p. 33)

A person is encouraged to observe in what direction the mind wanders, in order to understand

what his/her thought patterns are and the usual preoccupations, subsequently letting them go.

Cayoun underlines: “If you are unable to protect the mind from unwholesome mental states

arising, then you will need to make an effort to reduce or eliminate those that have arisen.

This means abandoning the unhelpful thoughts (…)” (2015, p. 157) This attitude improves

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metacognitive skills, and enables a person to change perspective, from following and

dwelling on intrusive thoughts, towards simply being aware of having such thoughts.

(Chaskalson, 2011)

v Exercise to develop self-compassion, empathy and self-esteem

Loving–kindnessmeditation

A person is asked to invite love and kindness into the heart and belly, to be embraced by these

feelings and follow them with breathing in and breathing out. He/she should become

overwhelmed by both states.

Then, one can invite the feeling of acceptance and peacefulness, enabling the person to

establish himself/herself as a center of love and kindness, and simply exist in it. “You can

dwell here indefinitely, drinking at this fount, bathing in it, renewing yourself, nourishing

yourself, enlivening yourself. This can be a profoundly healing practice for body and soul.”

(Kabat-Zinn, 2014, p. 204)

v Exercise to develop empathy

The exercise is composed of five steps: firstly, the coachee is asked to observe the behaviour

of another person, with the objective of noticing and mirroring in the brain the mimics,

gestures and actions of the other person; then, he/she should focus on breathing and tuning

with his/her own sensations and feelings. Subsequently, the coachee should start to observe

the other person’s facial expression and eyes, trying to read the emotions behind. As a fourth

step, he/she comes back to his/her own thoughts, imagining the thoughts of the other person.

Lastly, the coachee should ask the other person about his/her thoughts and feelings to see

whether they represent what he/she thought, staying open for whatever the answer will be.

(Chaskalson, 2011)

Concluding, the last possibility for a coach, certified in mindfulness, wishing to offer

mindfulness to the clients could be the organisation of mindfulness group sessions, in private

courses or within organisations, according to the structured formal mindfulness programs.

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3. MINDFUL ORGANISATION - COACHING THROUGH MINDFULNESS IN THE WORKPLACE

According to the “Mindful Nation UK” report by the Mindfulness All-Party Parliamentary

Group, “the need to tackle issues around the rising cost of workplace absence and

presenteeism6 because of stress and depression, and the need to boost productivity in a

workplace which is being radically changed by new information technologies” (MAPPG,

2015, p. 39) is growing.

Indeed, the report presents research according to which “since 2009 the number of sick days

lost to stress, depression and anxiety has increased by 24% and the number lost to serious

mental illness has doubled”. (MAPPG, 2015, p. 21) Furthermore, it specifies that the main

cause of sick leave “in the UK is mental ill health, accounting for 70 million sick days, more

than half of the 130 million total every year”.

The report states that between 2010 and 2014 every year “a million people took sick leave for

longer than four weeks.” (MAPPG, 2015, p. 39)

Moreover, another study indicates, that in the past 30 years “panic attacks, chronic worrying

and depression increased by 45% in the United States” and each day stress-related

absenteeism in work affects one million Americans. (Carroll, 2011, p. 23)

The reasons identified for this significant increase in employee health problems include

increasing pressure in the workplace, multitasking, high workload, constant change and job

insecurity. (MAPPG, 2015)

Companies are looking for solutions to improve the working climate. One of them is the

application of mindfulness - intensively researched in the context of the workplace.7

6 According to the definition available at http://www.dictionary.com/browse/presenteeism: presenteeism is "the practice of coming to work despite illness, injury, anxiety, etc., often resulting in reduced productivity", as well as the practice of working long hours at a job without the real need to do so.

7 The work of Donde Ashmos Plowman “Mindful organization” who measured mindfulness at business school assessing the gap between what their respective dean said was true and what others said. He concluded that smaller gap between perception by leaders and others indicated higher mindfulness. (in Goleman, 2013, p. 12)

32

Indeed, numerous studies in neuroscience confirm the influence of mindfulness on

performance, improved working memory and attention. (Morgan, 2016) The beneficial

impact of mindfulness on potential burnout and stress has been proven many times. Evidence

has showed that mindfulness practice helps to enhance “comprehension scores and decision-

making skills”. Furthermore, “(…) employees of leaders in a range of other settings who

practise mindfulness have less emotional exhaustion, better work-life balance and better job

performance ratings. They are also more likely to show concern towards co-workers and

express opinions honestly.” (MAPPG, 2015, p. 42)

Skibola clarifies that: “By integrating more holistic environmental, social, and governance

considerations into the strategy and operations of business, new opportunities emerge, to

reduce externalities that cost society and business. With better organizational design and

increased emphasis on personal and team mindfulness, businesses can become more dynamic

and adaptable.” (2011, p. non-paginated)

The benefits mindfulness brings cannot be neglected if organisations intend to be healthy, if

they aim at reducing absenteeism and health care costs. “In this on demand world, it is

important to be equipped with ways to relieve stress and mindfulness training is the perfect

tool.“ (Morgan, 2016, p. non-paginated)

3.1. STRESS MANAGEMENT

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates, the cost of stress reaches $300

billion per year as regards American businesses (Meister, 2015) “and the costs to our

healthcare system might be even higher given the role stress plays in conditions like heart

disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.” (Meister, 2015, p. 2)

The WHO defines work-related stress as “the response people may have when presented with

work demands and pressures that are not matched to their knowledge and abilities and which

challenge their ability to cope.”8 Furthermore, Brown explains that "stress reaction is a mental

and physical response to an adverse situation that mobilizes the body's emergency resources,

8 Source: http://www.who.int/occupational_health/topics/stressatwp/en/

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the fight or flight mechanism, which floods the body with hormones that arouse it to meet the

challenge." (Goleman, 2012, p. 106)

While trying to identify the most stressful type of work, the WHO underlines that it relates to

work “which values excessive demands and pressures that are not matched to workers’

knowledge and abilities, where there is little opportunity to exercise any choice or control,

and where there is little support from others.” (Leka, Griffiths, Cox, 2004, p. 15)

Thus even if pressure is a usual part of work, its level must be manageable and acceptable to

an employee. Otherwise, “when that pressure becomes excessive or otherwise unmanageable

it leads to stress. Stress can damage an employees' health and the business performance.”9

Indeed, life without stress10 is neither possible nor desirable. “Stress is a natural part of life

and cannot be avoided. Yet at the same time, stress ultimately requires adaptation if the

organism is to survive.” (Kabat-Zinn, 2013, p. 470)

Furthermore, stressed workers mean unhealthy organisations. Such organisations cannot

count on good results from their employees, which “may affect not only their performance in

the increasingly competitive market but eventually even their survival.” (Leka, Griffiths, Cox,

2004, p. 9)

3.1.1. GOOD AND BAD STRESS

Finding a balance between good and bad stress seems indispensable in order to be healthy. As

described by Yerkes and Dodson, when good stress (eustress11) increases - the performance

increases up to the “optimal stress point”. Higher stress becomes “distress”, bringing a fall in

performance. If, subsequently, stress continues to persist, one becomes highly stressed and

prone to sickness. (Meyer, 2014)

9Source: http://www.who.int/occupational_health/topics/stressatwp/en/

10 A definition of stress was provided by Dr. Hans Selye. He defined stress as “the non-specific response of the organism to any pressure or demand.” (Kabat-Zinn, 2013, 469)

11 Distinction between eustress (good stress) and distress (persistent stress) was proposed by Dr. Hans Selye. (in Chaskalson, 2011, p. 54)

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Source: Meyer, 2014, the Forbes.

Cayoun reminds us that “first, chronic stress, damages and shrinks neurons in the areas of the

brain we use for helpful reflection, self-esteem and emotion regulation (the prefrontal cortex

and hippocampus). Second, chronic stress strengthens neurons in the part of the brain

activated during anxiety and aggression (in areas of the amygdala) – both of which are

emotions stimulated by our relationship with the external world.” (2015, p. 321)

Cortisol, the stress hormone, increases during stressful situations, exhausting and in the long

run degrading the immune system. If this continues a person starts to feel unwell, going into

“a state of emotional exhaustion”, “burn out” (Goleman, 2013, p. 3) or other health problems.

A way to manage stress at its “optimal point” “is learning to elicit what he calls ”the

relaxation response” - a physical state of deep rest that counteracts the harmful effects of the

fight-or-flight response (…)” suggests Benson. (in Chaskalson, 2011, p. 55)

3.1.2. STRESS REACTION VERSUS STRESS RESPONSE

Considering all the above, more and more companies have been introducing well-being

programs for employees, mindfulness trainings being one of them.

Indeed, several studies explore the relationship between mindfulness and stress indicating that

the correlations “between self-reported mindfulness and perceived stress” are negative.

(Black, Sussman, Johnson, & Milam, 2012; Bränström, Duncan, & Moskowitz, 2011; Gard et

al., 2012; Weinstein, Brown, & Ryan, 2009 in Bao, Xue, Kong, 2015, p. 48)

35

Kabat-Zinn underlines that to manage stress a distinction should be made between stressors

themselves and the way the stressors are seen by a person. In fact, the way the person

perceives the stressor will “determine whether or not it will lead to stress.” (2013, p. 471)

Indeed, one crucial aspect in coping with stress is to understand and see clearly what exactly

is happening. “If we can change the way we see, we can change the way we respond and

thereby dramatically lower our stress and its short-term and long-term consequences for our

health and well-being.” (Kabat-Zinn, 2013, p. 480)

Indeed, Kabat-Zinn explains how mindfulness, in a practical manner, can help to cause a shift

from one’s stress reaction to its “healthy alternative” – the stress response (2013, p. 534). The

clue is to learn to respond to stress instead of reacting to it. (Kabat-Zinn, 2013)

The first step is to gain mindful awareness of the actual situation. As the stress reaction is in

principle automatic, by bringing non-judgmental awareness to what is happening, we can

pave the way to a conscious response to the stressful situation. Kabat-Zinn further clarifies

that a “shift from mindless reaction to mindful recognition of what is unfolding inwardly and

outwardly can reduce the power of the stress reaction (…).” (2013, p. 537)

In conclusion, it is important to underline that “while it seems that mindfulness can offer real

benefits for reducing stress and absenteeism (…) as an isolated intervention it cannot fix

dysfunctional organisations. Mindfulness will only realise its full potential when it is part of a

well-designed organisational culture which takes employees wellbeing seriously.” (MAPPG,

2015, p. 45)

3.2. MINDFUL LEADERSHIP

"Leading today is an incredibly complex responsibility and it can easily become so busy and

overscheduled that leaders find themselves lacking in the very skills we most need them to

have, the very skills that mindfulness can strengthen - focus, clarity, creativity and

compassion." (Marturano quoted by Huffington, 2013)

Indeed, proposing mindfulness training by and within organisations solely to employees may

create the impression that their problems are only their fault, and that therefore it is up to them

to cope with their problems and stress. Schulte insists: “yes, give people the tools to manage

36

stress and anxiety. But leaders and companies need to recognise their part in this, too.”

(quoted by Jakobs, 2015)

3.2.1. MINDFUL AND RESONANT LEADER

We associate with leaders the traits of achievement, power and charisma. (Reb, Sim,

Chintakananda, Bhave in Reb and Atkins, 2015) Boyatzis adds that: “one responsibility of

leaders is to inspire and motivate those with whom they interact (…).” (2014, p. 301)

Moreover, today, leaders are expected to be collaborative, compassionate and emotionally

intelligent (Hall, 2013). Similarly, they are expected to be authentic, not only goal-oriented

but people-oriented. Leaders today are required to be mindful and resonant. (Hall, 2013,

Carrol 2011, McKee, Boyatzis, Johnston, 2008) Furthermore, “a mindful leader embodies

leadership presence by cultivating focus, clarity, creativity, and compassion in the service of

others.”12

As described by McKee, Boyatzis and Johnston, a resonant leader is one who is “attuned to

people’s feelings, and move those feelings in a positive direction.” (2008, p. 44) He/she

should be compassionate, authentic and inspirational making people feel at ease in difficult

situations. Resonant leaders know how to manage their emotions, and create a healthy

environment and good relationships. “(…) Resonant leaders leave their people and

organizations stronger and readier to face the future” (2008, p. 44). They further specify that

to achieve this the person must be self-aware, emotionally and socially intelligent and stress-

resistant.

Stress related to leadership has a particular name: “power stress.” (McKee, Boyatzis and

Johnston, 2008, p. 41) This kind of stress stems from the leaders’ need to cope with the high

pressure to achieve success, the massive expectations and huge responsibilities they need to

take on. “It is inherent in a leadership role and can cause leaders to fall into the Sacrifice

Syndrome – a vicious cycle of stress and sacrifice, resulting in mental and physical distress,

burnout, and diminished effectiveness.” (McKee, Boyatzis and Johnston, 2008, p. 41)

12 Source: https://instituteformindfulleadership.org/definitions/

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Furthermore, the resonant leader must be attentive. Meanwhile, it turns out that one of the

biggest challenges for people is to be not only physically but also mentally present at work

during, for example, meetings or conversations. “This can be especially dangerous for leaders,

who set the tone for interactions and group gatherings.” (Davidson, 2015, non-paginated)

Goleman confirms that one of the biggest problems in organisations is the lack of attention

that is a particularly important problem for leaders. He claims that the notion of “continuous

partial attention” is the usual state of employees. (Bush, 2013, p. 19) This state of mind

endangers good and effective interaction in the workplace. In other words, “(…) being truly

present — feeling yourself in your seat (…), being aware of emotions as they arise and

focusing on listening and the body cues of those around you — can improve quality

interactions in the workplace.” (Davidson, 2015, non-paginated)

Additionally, being present can help a leader to be seen as respecting employees13 and being

an effective communicator. It enables a leader to “better understand its employees and, as a

result, be more supportive.” (Reb, Sim, Chintakananda, Bhave in Reb, Atkins, 2015, p. 425)

3.2.2. COACHING LEADERS TO BECOME MINDFUL AND RESONANT

Carrol considers that “mindfulness meditation is the fundamental and indispensable practice

of the mindful leader.” (2011, p. 201) Furthermore, according to Marturano, introducing

mindfulness training “in the context of leadership excellence invites leaders to be more aware

of who they are, more in touch with their personal principles and values, and more guided by

their inner wisdom." (quoted by Huffington, 2013, non-paginated)

Practising mindfulness can help leaders through the development of self-compassion to cope

with “stress power”. It can enable them to reduce their self-criticism in the face of mistakes

and failures, as well as to develop compassion towards their employees. (Reb, Sim,

Chintakananda, Bhave in Reb, Atkins, 2015) It teaches them to be more resilient.

13 Reb, Sim, Chintakananda, Bhave indicate that even if employee can feel more respected it doesn’t mean that the leader actually truly respects him. Thus, an ability of being present could be “used” by the leaders to give impression they would like to achieve – it is instrumental use of presence. (in Reb, Atkins, 2015, 425)

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This has already been realised in a few companies which have decided to organize

mindfulness training for leaders. According to Meister, benefits including health

improvement, increase in productivity and higher job satisfaction are visible both for

employees and companies. (2015)

Apart from regular mindfulness training, a coach can propose additional mindfulness

exercises, thus helping leaders to gain self-awareness. To this end McKee, Boyatzis and

Johnston propose the “Taking Stock” survey, the “Mindfulness Check-In”, the “Seeking

Balance” and the “Mindful Change” exercises (2008, p. 49-56).

v “Taking Stock” survey: using several questions, this exercise invites a person to reflect on

his/her life and work values and on what triggers him/her. The questions are very simple. In

general, they relate to the activities of the highest value in the life and work of the person.

v The “Mindfulness Check-In” exercise is a proposal to do “a scan of holistic self” (McKee,

Boyatzis and Johnston, 2008, p. 53) by focusing subsequently on the mind, body, heart and

spirit. It is a check-in of the thoughts in the given moment, bodily sensations and current

emotions. Spirit scan asks the person to find the source of their inspiration and to project

himself/herself according to the imagined self-picture.

v The “Seeking Balance” exercise (based on “the Medicine Wheel”14), the objective of

which is to verify one’s level of balance and satisfaction in the present situation. Similarly to

the holistic self-scan, this exercise relates to the mind, body, heart and spirit. By using

pictures or key words, a person is asked to illustrate the activities he/she does to nurture the

four parts of the self and what he/she would like to change.

14 “The Medicine Wheel, sometimes known as the Sacred Hoop, has been used by generations of various Native American tribes for health and healing. It embodies the Four Directions, as well as Father Sky, Mother Earth, and Spirit Tree—all of which symbolize dimensions of health and the cycles of life” according to: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/nativevoices/exhibition/healing-ways/medicine-ways/medicine-wheel.html

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Based on McKee, Boyatzis and Johnston, 2008, p. 54.

v The Mindful Change is a follow-up exercise to the Seeking Balance one. Its aim is to help

identify options to achieve the desired balance enabling the person to use in the best possible

way his/her potential.

To summarise, after mindfulness training, leaders can learn “to notice the strong pull to react,

the mind’s propensity to narrow the focus when under stress, the dynamics of difficult

conversations that can sometimes be resolved by reaching the lowest common denominator to

gain agreement, rather than the most skilful choice, and the negative effects of information

overload. (…) Neither their traditional business training nor mind training alone would have

sufficed to help them reach an optimal decision. It’s the combination of the two that proved to

be so powerful.” (The Institute for Mindful Leadership15)

3.3. EXAMPLES OF MINDFULNESS INTERVENTIONS IN THE BUSINESS CONTEXT

As mentioned earlier, mindfulness is extensively practised in the business environment.

Multinationals like Google, Apple or Sony have invited and established mindfulness training

for their employees. (Jacobs, 2015) Other sources mention the following well-known

companies in the same context: McKinsey & Company, Deutsche Bank, Procter & Gamble,

Astra Zeneca, General Mills, Aetna. (Hansen, 2012) Furthermore, according to the report

“Mindful Nation”, also several UK organisations, both public and private, “offer mindfulness

15 Source: https://instituteformindfulleadership.org/matter/

Spirit

Emotion Mind

Body

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programmes to their employees, namely: the Department of Health, civil service departments,

Unilever, Barclays, Capital One, Starcom MediaVest Group and Goldman Sachs. (MAPPG,

2015)

The ways mindfulness programs can be further proposed within organisations are numerous.

Goleman and Bush consider that the starting point is firstly to explain clearly in the workplace

what mindfulness training is, and what benefits it can bring (Bush, 2013). Subsequently,

different programs may be proposed. In addition, “mindfulness training may be combined

with other training models such as resilience training or leadership development.” (MAPPG,

2015, p. 43)

Another way to advertise mindfulness in organisations, enabling them to reach a broader

scope of employees in a cost-effective way, could be the distribution of training through

digital deliveries.

Businesscasesformindfulness

v WorldEconomicForum16

In 2015 at the meeting of the World Economic Forum, usually dedicated to discussions on

solutions to current world economic problems, mindfulness was “the hottest topic”.

Numerous sessions17 related to the scientific and practical aspects of mindfulness were

discussed. “Mindfulness was the main topic of conversation, embraced and extolled by some

people you wouldn't expect, from big-time investors. (PIMCO's Bill Gross) to Nobel

Laureates.” (Stiglitz cited by Huffington, 2013)

The following year, at the meeting of the World Economic Forum, the agenda invited willing

participants to start the conference with “Dischma morning mindfulness” organised in the

Congress Center with the participation of Jon Kabat-Zinn18.

16 World Economic Forum takes place in Davos, Switzerland.

17 The panel related to mindfulness was: “The Human Brain: Deconstructing Mindfulness. How can a better understanding of the neural basis of mindfulness meditation lead to improved clinical applications?“ more information is available under: https://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2015/sessions/human-brain-deconstructing-mindfulness/

18 Source: http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_AM16_Programme.pdf

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v GeneralMills

“General Mills has one of the most sophisticated programmes” of mindfulness. (Gelles, 2012)

Furthermore, General Mills established its Mindful Leadership program, which is based on

sitting meditation and should help leaders find inner calm. “The idea is that calmer workers

will be less stressed, more productive and even become better leaders, thereby benefiting the

entire organisation.” (Gelles, 2012) By 2012 more than 400 employees had participated in the

training as well as several hundred executives. (Gelles, 2012)

Marturano, who was the founder of the program in General Mills and its deputy general

council, said: “it’s about training our minds to be more focused, to see with clarity, to have

spaciousness for creativity and to feel connected.” (quoted by Gelles, 2012)

v Google

Google introduced the “Search Inside Yourself” mindfulness program. The program is

organised four times a year and is composed of three main topics: attention, “self-knowledge

and self-mastery”, as well as “the creation of useful mental habits” training By 2012 more

than 1,000 Google employees had participated in the training. (Kelly, 2012, p.1)

Richard Fernandez, director of executive development who took part in the training stated that

thanks to the program he finds himself “much more resilient as a leader”. “I listen more

carefully and with less reactivity in high-stakes meetings. I work with a lot of senior

executives who can be very demanding, but that doesn’t faze me anymore. It’s almost an

emotional and mental bank account. I’ve now got much more of a buffer there.” (quoted by

Kelly, 2012, p. 1)

In addition, “Initial findings show that keeping people engaged in doing the mindfulness

practice is challenging but that people who persist show increased wellbeing, focus and

lowered stress.” (MAPPG, 2015, p. 44)

Concluding with the utility and profitability of mindfulness applications in the business

environment we will quote Meister, who said: “Does mindfulness fit your company culture?

Incorporating mindfulness is not for every company. Some may think of this as just too new

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age or fringe for them. But if you consider mindfulness has penetrated both Goldman Sachs

and BlackRock, it’s clear that even businesses with no reputation for so-called “new age”

practices see mindfulness as a good investment!” (2015)

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CONCLUSION

Different definitions of mindfulness always boil down to the same point: “There is no

mindfulness regarding the past and you cannot be mindful about the future. You can only be

mindful about the things that happen here and now.” (Pazooki, 2016, Appendix B) Therefore,

when talking about mindfulness we are talking about paying attention to the present moment

in body and mind, and it should be done with awareness, kindness and acceptance.

Evidence has showed that the benefits of practising mindfulness are numerous. It decreases

the symptoms of depression, reduces anxiety and chronic health problems. Being mindful

helps one to better control impulsive reactions, manage stress effectively and be more

resilient. Mindful people are more self-aware, have higher self-esteem, self-compassion and

empathy. Moreover, practising mindfulness increases performance, creativity and improves

relationships.

The benefits of mindfulness have crucial importance for organisations. Nowadays,

organisations need to find new ways to combat increasing absenteeism due to sick leave and

healthcare costs, which in recent years have grown immensely. Already many have

understood the importance of the need for a healthy environment, and invested in mindfulness

programs intended both for employees and leaders. The benefits, including improvements in

health, an increase in productivity and higher job satisfaction confirm the return on this

investment.

There is no doubt that mindfulness and coaching can go together perfectly well, bringing

benefits to coaches, clients and the coaching relationship. Either the coach can practise

mindfulness, in order to develop certain skills for himself and to become a mindful coach, or

a coach trained and qualified in mindfulness can teach clients how to become mindful through

exercises and techniques during the coaching sessions. There is also nothing to stop a coach

organising formal mindfulness training within organisations to help them to become more

mindful and healthy.

The crucial aspect to achieving all these benefits by everyone in this triangle (coach - coachee

- organisations) is that mindfulness can be developed solely through constant practice. The

practice must be regular, even if is not complicated: “we are just sitting there, observing our

breathing and minds which looks very easy. Nothing very dramatic is happening, however the

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practice is affecting the body in a very deep way at the level of the body and at the level of the

nervous system.” (Bergamelli, 2016, Appendix A)

However, this is exactly the challenge. The biggest challenge in practising mindfulness is to

find every single day one minute or thirty minutes in order to focus consciously on breathing,

on body sensations, flowing thoughts and to do it with patience, kindness, openness and

acceptance… to remember to eat mindfully, to walk mindfully, to take one’s shower

mindfully with awareness of the present moment.

This is not easy, even if we are aware of all the excellent benefits generated by mindfulness

that enhance our general well-being, and which lead, in the long term, to a higher sense of

happiness and life satisfaction.

Nevertheless, it is absolutely worth taking the challenge, and making an effort, and starting

breathing consciously.

YOU can even start to practise NOW! Remember: “every morning, when we wake up, we

have twenty-four brand-new hours to live. What a precious gift!” (Nhat Hanh, 1991, p. 5)

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Baltzell A. L., Mindfulness and performance, Cambridge University Press, 2016. Bao X., Xue S., Kong F., Dispositional mindfulness and perceived stress: The role of emotional intelligence; Personality and Individual Differences, 6 February 2015, p. 48-52. Boyatzis R., Possible Contributions to Leadership and Management Development From Neuroscience, Academy of Management Learning & Education, 1 June 2014, http://amle.aom.org/content/13/2/300.extract# Bush M., Working with Mindfulness: Research and Practice of Mindful Techniques in Organizations. Conversations with Mirabai Bush, Daniel Goleman, Richard Davidson, and George Kohlreiser, More Than The Sound, 2013. Chaskalson M., The Mindful Workplace. Developing Resilient Individuals and resonant Organisations with MBSR, Wiley-Blackwell, 2011. Carrol M., The Mindful Leader; Awakening Your Natural Management Skills Through Mindfulness Meditation, Trumpeter, 2011. Cayoun B. A., Mindfulness-integrated CBT for Well-being and Personal Growth. Four Steps to Enhance Inner Calm, Self-Confidence and Relationships, Wiley-Blackwell, 2015. Chiesa A., The Difficulty of Defining Mindfulness: Current Thought and Critical Issues, Mindfulness (2013) 4:255–268; DOI 10.1007/s12671-012-0123-4. Davidson R., 3 ways science can inform good leadership, 3 November 2015, https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/11/3-ways-science-can-inform-good-leadership/ Gelles D., The mind business, The Financial Times, August 24 2012, http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/d9cb7940-ebea-11e1-985a-00144feab49a.html?siteedition=uk Goleman D., Emotional Intelligence; Why it can matter more than IQ, Bloomsbury, 2009. Goleman D., Healing Emotions; Conversations with the Dalai Lama on Mindfulness, Emotions, and Health, Shambhala, 2012. Goleman D., Working with Mindfulness: Work, and Stress Reduction, More Than Sound LLC, 2013.

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Hall L., Mindful Coaching. How mindfulness can transform coaching practice, Kogan Page Limited, 2013. Hansen D., A Guide To Mindfulness At Work, The Forbes, 31 October 2012, http://www.forbes.com/sites/drewhansen/2012/10/31/a-guide-to-mindfulness-at-work/#674efe796870 Hasson G., Mindfulness. Żyj tu i teraz; Praktyka uważności dla każdego; Amber, 2013. Huffington A., Mindfulness a Presence at Davos; Tribune Media Services, January 30, 2013; http://www.arcamax.com/politics/fromtheleft/ariannahuffington/s-1271945 Jacobs E.; Anxiety: the office fear factor, The Financial Times, 11 November 2015, http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/75b99926-77da-11e5-a95a 27d368e1ddf7.html?segid=0100320#axzz3rC8YvVYO Kabat-Zinn J., Wherever You Go, There You Are, Hyperion, 2009. Kabat-Zinn J., Mindfulness for Beginners – reclaiming the present moment-and your life; Sounds True, 2012. Kabat-Zinn J., Full Catastrophe Living. Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain and Illness, Bantam Books Trade Paperbacks, 2013. Kelly C., O.K., Google, Take a Deep Breath, The New York Times, 28 April 2012, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/29/technology/google-course-asks-employees-to-take-a-deep-breath.html?hp Leka S., Griffiths A., Cox T., The WHO, Work organisation and Stress. Systematic Problem Approaches for Employers, Managers and Trade Union Representatives; Protecting Workers’ Health Series No. 3; http://www.who.org McKee A, Boyatzis R., Johnston F., Becoming a Resonant Leader; Develop Your Emotional Intelligence. Renew Your Relationships. Sustain Your Effectiveness, Harvard Business School Press, 2008. Meister J., Future Of Work: Mindfulness As A Leadership Practice, The Forbes, 27 April 2015; http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeannemeister/2015/04/27/future-of-work-mindfulness-as-a-leadership-practice/#ddd094aa41b1 Meyer S. J., Why The U.S. Keeps Losing The Ryder Cup: Research on Stress Provides Answer, The Forbes, 22 October 2014, http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevemeyer/2014/10/22/why-the-u-s-keeps-losing-the-ryder-cup-the-s-word/2/#51e78343595d

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Mindful Nation UK. Report by the Mindfulness All-Party Parliamentary Group (MAPPG), October 2015; www.themindfulnessinitiative.org.uk Morgan J., Why Mindfulness Is So Important In The Workplace Today, The Forbes, 25 April 2016, http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2016/04/25/why-mindfulness-is-so-important-in-the-workplace-today/#1ed9fd2819ab Nhat Hanh T, Peace Is Every Step. The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life, Bantam Books, 1991. Nhat Hanh T., The Miracle of Mindfulness. The Classic Guide, Rider, 2008. Nhat Hanh T., How To Love, Ebury Publishing, 2016. Nhat Hanh T., How To Relax, Rider, 2016. OECD (2013), OECD Guidelines on Measuring Subjective Well-being, OECD Publishing, http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264191655-en. Pawłowska A., Kurs zatrzymywania się, Coaching Extra, NR 3/2015, Grudzień 2015 – Luty 2016. Passmore, J., & Marianetti,O. (2013), The role of mindfulness in coaching; The Coaching Psychologist 2007, 3(3), 131-138. Reb J., Atkins P.W.B., Mindfulness in Organisations, Foundations, Research and Applications, Cambridge University Press, 2015. Skibola N., Mindfulness as a Tool for Organizational and Social Change, The Forbes, 1 February 2011, http://www.forbes.com/sites/csr/2011/02/01/mindfulness-as-a-tool-for-organizational-and-social-change/#3edc67b11726 Stahl B., Goldstein E., Uważność. Trening redukcji stresu metoda mindfulness, Gdańskie Wydawnictwo Psychologiczne, 2015. Ward, D., Overcoming Low Self-Esteem with Mindfulness, Sheldon Press, 2013.

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APPENDIXES

APPENDIX A

Mindfulness – interview with Laurette Bergamelli - psychologist, MBSR and MBCT trainer

How would you define mindfulness?

Mindfulness is not the well-being thing. The practice of mindfulness is more like brushing

your teeth every day - you brush your mind and emotions every day. It is not something

hilarious, esoteric or always pleasant. However it is useful, it is really like doing the every day

cleaning you have to do. This is the price of mindfulness that you are paying.

Mindfulness is putting up everything that is not finished in your life. The emotions that are

there will come up and you can learn to deal with them. Well-being comes from practice, but

practice itself is not always pleasant. It comes from the fact that you are cleaning the things

that are preventing you from being satisfied and happy the way you are.

Mindfulness is at least partially based on meditation and breathing - what is the influence of aware breathing on our bodies and minds?

I don’t use the word meditation, as at the moment a lot of many different practices are used as

meditation. Mindfulness is a special form of it. Jon Kabat-Zinn, the person who started to

offer mindfulness as MBSR, and who is a scientist, did a lot of research on mindfulness. He

could show with pictures of the brain how mindfulness affects the brain between the start and

the end of training. Within two months, mindfulness training is able to increase in a

significant way the number of our neurological connections and to change the structure of the

brain. It is amazing to see how mindfulness affects the body in such a short time. It is also

very surprising to see what we are doing in mindfulness: we are just sitting there, observing

our breathing, and minds, which looks very easy. Nothing very dramatic is happening

however the practice is affecting the body in a very deep way at the level of the body and at

the level of the nervous system. At the psychological level mindfulness is calming the mind,

the emotions and the body, because we recognise what is going in the mind. We also train

ourselves to choose the thoughts we would like to be in and we let go of the ones that are not

helping us. Thus, we have cooler heads and thoughts and we can be clearer.

49

When/in what cases would you recommend practising mindfulness to your clients?

In general, I recommend the training for everybody, even for children. For me it is a way of

self-management - you learn how to deal with the two parts of you - the body and the mind.

The knowledge we get through mindfulness training is the basic knowledge we know for

being human.

Most of the problems we have, come of the point that we haven’t done this training so we are

getting into trouble as we do not know how to deal with the mind and feelings when we are

getting inside messy. Life is not easy and if we are not learning these basic things we get into

trouble trying to cope with the difficulties of life that are coming – not because we are

neurotic, but because that is how life is.

Nevertheless, to deal with the training it is important that the person be able to concentrate

and willing to increase his/her capacities of concentration. Moreover, anyone who doesn’t like

the fact or doesn’t understand that it is necessary to practise will not benefit from the training.

What practical benefits can mindfulness bring when being regularly practised? What real changes have you seen in your clients?

Clients come to the training sessions with a lot of different problems and situations. Most of

the time mindfulness training helps with these situations. Some people come because they are

not sleeping well and we can see that if they practice they can sleep better. They may have

fewer stress reactions, they are calmer and more grounded. There are people who come with

high blood pressure, so they see that the pressure will be lowering. Depressive people start to

worry less and to have less fear and fewer depressive thoughts, more energy or joy, more

enthusiasm for life, more optimism about what is happening. Sometimes there are unexpected

changes.

Practicing mindfulness is becoming popular in big companies - do you think that using mindfulness exercises in organisations can be beneficial? What kind of change can it induce?

Yes, when people get more aware of what they are doing they get more resistance to the

difficulties they have in life. Taking mindfulness into companies is not only of benefits to the

company – it will create problems because when you are starting to get aware more of

yourself you are not so easy to manipulate, that is why in the long run it will create some

problems of adaptation (in the sense that if people become more aware of what they are doing

50

they will choose life that is more compatible with them and with life itself). However, first of

all it will calm people down and make them more able to work in a group. I think it has the

potential to create a new world with more ethical standards where performance and results are

not so important that we are able to destroy people in order to get them. It can help to have

saner companies.

Is practising mindfulness more helpful in reducing stress, multi-tasking pressure and increasing performance or practising mindfulness can lead to more fundamental change in life?

Mindfulness comes from Buddhist practice. It has great potential to end neurotic suffering.

The point is that we have to practice mindfulness in order to realise this potential. It will

depend on each person how far they want to go with the practise and how far they want to

practice in terms of time. One person who practises regularly will have some changes. For

someone like me, who has been practising for several years, it has changed my whole life.

The potential is huge and endless, but if we don’t practise the potential will remain only a

potential. Only practice will help us realise the potential, put it into practice and apply it to

life. As human beings we have this potential, it is a kind of evolutionary thing that we need to

learn something else to be able to deal with the evolution of our brains – we have to learn how

to use it in a conscious way. And this is the potential of mindfulness.

Can practicing mindfulness help to become a compassionate manager?

Yes, if the manager is practising - it will work however in the long run. It is not the case that

we start to practise now and can have results in two months. It is just a beginning. We have to

practise our whole life long. It has this potential and the potential to create a world with more

ethics.

However this practice is not something new, it already existed three thousand years ago. Let’s

be realistic, it hasn’t changed the world until now.

I think that if we want to survive as species we should learn something new. Mindfulness has

the potential but I do not know if we are rational enough to achieve it and to do the job.

In your opinion, is a mindful workplace possible?

Yes, and it is not only possible but an absolute necessity if we want to survive.

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What is your opinion on using mindfulness techniques and exercises in coaching practice?

I think it is absolutely useful to do it and it is an urgent thing to do it. It is also very important

that the person who is doing the coaching practise it himself. You can’t just talk about

mindfulness if you are not practising it yourself because you can only speak from your own

experiences. If you are not experiencing it, is not possible to train other people in it.

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APPENDIX B

Mindfulness – interview with Khashayar Pazooki – psychotherapy scientist, neuro-psychologist, specialized in Neurobiology and Neurotherapy, head of Neuroacademy Luxembourg.

How would you define mindfulness?

For me, mindfulness is a mixture of two states: a state of attention and a state of

consciousness. Once you are paying attention next you are absolutely conscious what you are

paying attention to. Both of them happen only in the HERE and the NOW. There is no

mindfulness regarding the past and you cannot be mindful about the future. You can only be

mindful about the things that happen here and now.

When/in what cases would you recommend practicing mindfulness to your clients/patiens?

In psychotherapeutic world mindfulness is very effective and good though it is not always

applicable. It cannot be applied to someone who has perception deficits, for example someone

who is psychotic – it will not be possible to apply mindfulness with this person because this

person's brain is absolutely dysfunctional in this sense. You can apply mindfulness if the brain

is not dysfunctional or organically damaged or psychologically functional as far as

mindfulness remains applicable. In case of for example hypervigilance, at the first step the

person will need some stabilisation, resource work, reinforcement and only when the hypo

alert or the hypervigilance calms down then at the certain moment mindfulness training can

be applied to bring the person back to the here and now.

Therefore, it is a very effective instrument or technique, however it is not applicable to

anyone at any time.

Mindfulness is based on the following principles: non-judgement, patience, trust, non-striving, acceptance and letting go: do you think that any of them is particularly important in order to find internal balance and well-being?

The first answer to this question is: it is wrong that mindfulness is based on these principles

that you just named. Let's look at trust, acceptance, letting go - you will never be able to

accept, you will never be able to let go if you are not mindful. Hence those things are based

on mindfulness and not vice-versa.

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The second answer to the same question is: I think all those traits can be achieved not totally

but to good portion and partially while being mindful. Moreover, all these elements belong

together. You will never have one of them without the others; there will never be one of those

elements more important than the others. You could see all of these qualities as one apple.

Imagine apple that you are going to cut in half or quarters or in sixths or tenths – then you

have ten pieces of an apple. If you want to put back that apple together you will need all ten

pieces otherwise you will not have the apple. You will have something like half an apple etc.

Therefore, for me all these elements are different parts of one work.

Mindfulness is at least partially based on meditation and breathing - what is the influence of aware breathing on our bodies and minds?

Because of the influences of many factors, of the society, of the civilisation, education,

religions and many others the human being stopped to pay attention to its own existence.

Mindfulness means that you pay attention to the here and the now. Lets take an example, if

you want to earn money, you cannot think only about the here and the now. You have to

calculate the things in the future, make a financial plan and so on. The ordinary life doesn’t

necessarily go in the same river as mindfulness.

When we talk about mindfulness we talk about our existences and our bodies. Now, if I ask

you what you were doing yesterday or if I ask you what you are going to do tomorrow, you

will tell me something, you will be able to answer. I asked you two questions, one about the

past and one about the future. You answer to both of them even though both of them are not

real because what is past does not exist anymore and what is in the future might not even

come - we don’t know. Your body lives only in the here and the now. You will not be able to

take your body to the yesterday, you can take to yesterday your thoughts. You cannot take

your body to the tomorrow as you have to wait until this particular tomorrow arrives. You can

take there your mind and not your body and here the body and mind problem arrives. The

mind can be directed, you can take deviation all over the place, you can take your mind to 200

years ago or to 300 thousand years in the future. However, you will never be able to take

your body anywhere as only to the here and the now. Therefore if you want to do something

good for your body you better pay attention and be conscious about what you do. This is

mindfulness.

How we can learn how to breathe well?

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Your breathing will accelerate or decelerate your heart beat. The way you breathe will

activate your sympathetic or parasympathetic system. Definitely the breathing is one of the

most elementary things that you have. The way how we breathe has an influence on how we

are, whether we feel at ease or in alert. I can show you how to breathe and you are going to

hyperventilate, I can show you how to breathe and you will feel ease and peace.

If you ask me how someone can know what the best way of breathing is - I would say just

have an inside voyage, an inside trip with the air that you are breathing. Follow that air

through your nose; follow it into your lungs and into the cells of your lungs, go into the

branches, come back with it and have a trip out of your mouth. When you do this and you

really accompany the air that is slowly being inhaled through your nose, slowly going into

your lungs, being there for a while, slowly coming out through your mouth until you exhale

totally this will already decelerate the tempo of what you breathe. That deceleration will

automatically give you an easier breathing and a better breathing which is going to calm down

not only you but also decelerate your heart beat. This by itself can be done by an inner trip

inside your body when you follow the air and you imagine something, you imagine the air

that you are breathing as a kite or an airplane when you are sitting ON the airplane not IN the

airplane. This is the way you can breathe.

You are working with biofeedback. It is also linked to breathing – isn’t it?

Not only. It depends what application you want to do with the neurofeedback. The breathing

part of the biofeedback allows you to measure breathing with the breathing belt and with the

respiration belt. You measure how slow or how fast the person is breathing. The most of the

time we don’t want to measure someone who is breathing slow; we want to measure someone

who is breathing fast. The fast breathing as I said will have an influence on your heart beat

and will also accelerate your heart beat. Therefore there is a need to show the person how to

decelerate his/her respiration with the objective of calming down, feeling some ease and

peace by being here and now and breathing, paying attention to the breathing. We also want

to have the positive influence on the heart rate, its variability, low and high frequency and a

lot of other things.

Wouldn't you say it is linked to mindfulness?

Not directly, but the objective for me is almost the same, even if these are two

different things.

Are you saying that someone who is mindful has a good breathing?

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I hope so. You see, this is what you hope. I hope so too but we don’t know. Someone who is

absolutely mindful has been doing already a lot of work as in your third question and if she/he

has done that work which is a big work to do on yourself than I guess he paid attention to his

breathing, to his heart beat, to every single cell of his body. Therefore he is probably

breathing accurately. Nevertheless just being mindful at a certain moment doesn’t mean you

will have a good respiration. Your respiration goes also through the habits that you gained

from before. I would rather say, as long as the person’s respiration is inadequate she/he will

never be able to become mindful.

That’s what I thought. I thought that to practice mindfulness efficiently, firstly we should learn how to breathe and then we can go further and practise mindfulness.

Exactly. In my opinion, if you want to become mindful in parallel to all that great work you

mentioned in the third question, if you really want to become mindful before you even can

talk about mindfulness, my understanding will be that you have to learn how to really become

friends with every single cell of your body. To become mindful one needs to understand the

competences of its body, of its eyes, ears, mouth, nose and the tactile part of the body the

hand, the feeds and the legs of what they do.

Being mindful goes to over four thousand years ago. Already the Persian Saratustra was

saying "pay attention and be conscious about what you say, what you do and what you think"

so basically good thinking, good talking and good doing. If you want to do these things just

you are covering everything what you do, thing and perceive. With the wrong perception you

cannot talk right, you will not breathe right, with the wrong thinking you are going the wrong

way so you cannot be right and definitely you will not be mindful. As I mentioned it goes

back to Saratustra, than it comes to some three thousand years ago with Buddhism, than the

history of Kabat, than the history of modern sort of mindfulness that was used in the

psychotherapy etc. which goes back to Goleman, Brown, Brian and the others.

Coming back to the point, what I am trying to say is, being mindful means you pay attention

to everything of yours not only to your respiration. I can have an excellent respiration but I

can sit in the corner and have very negative thoughts therefore I have to pay attention and be

conscious about breathing but I also have to pay attention and be conscious about what I

think, what I do, perceive and, what I feel and talk. This is the whole in itself. Just a

respiration, as I consider, will not do it. It is a lot more.

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What practical benefits can mindfulness bring when being regularly practised? What real changes have you seen in your clients?

If you really exercise mindfulness on a daily basis you will at least get rid of half of the

psychological problems that you have and you will do a lot for your health and your well-

being which will become a positive pattern at a certain time. Further, because you are on the

positive way the results will be positive. Being mindful, doing mindfulness in a broad sense

will help a person to be psychologically and physiologically a lot healthier than before.

What is your opinion on using mindfulness techniques and exercises in coaching practice?

I find it wonderful. If we are using mindfulness in the therapeutic practice, or in other places

like in yoga or meditation classes - why not use mindfulness in the coaching practice, I find it

very good.

Practicing mindfulness is becoming popular in big companies - do you think that using mindfulness exercises in organisations can be beneficial? What kind of change can it induce?

Absolutely not. Everything for me that has the touch of organisation and group is not good.

Mindfulness or meditation shall become a way of life. I put them together as they go hand in

hand together even if they are not the same. You cannot use them as sunglasses that you put

on for one hour in your organisation or in the therapeutic or coaching practice and then you

put the sun glasses away and continue to live the same way.

Mindfulness and meditation shall become YOU because it is about you. All these groups for

yoga or mindfulness are commercialisation. You cannot bring mindfulness into the group

inside an organisation because you are making it ten times more difficult for the people to be

mindful than it is difficult for them anyway. These people will sit in the group and instead of

becoming mindful they will have their eyes closed and will be thinking what the neighbour is

doing, how long it will take etc.

It will be some practice which is valuable, it will be a group practice that will do something

positive in the group but it will never be mindfulness frame.

If you want to be trained how to be mindful you have to start on your own. Once you will

start it on your own you will never go in a group to be mindful. A group in itself can never be

mindful. One needs to be conscious about himself so why to go in a group. I am not even a

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very good friend of a group therapy. There are very good results with group therapies but in

the end I don’t like anything that looks like striptease – in a group you do mind striptease.

Is practicing mindfulness more helpful reducing stress, multi-tasking pressure and increasing performance or can practicing mindfulness lead to more fundamental change in life?

If you ask the question this way something good that can be done is to bring consciousness

into a company to do one or two training sessions with objective to show the people how

important it is to become mindful and to tell them how to go and become mindful on their

own. Bringing mindfulness as knowledge to the company and the group is excellent but not

do it in the company. It is more about cuddling the interest of people to go and seek for

mindfulness on their own.

Can practicing mindfulness help one to become a compassionate manager?

In the human brain we have the mirror neurons and scientifically we assume that these mirror

neurons are mostly responsible for empathy we have for others. Being a compassionate leader

means feeling a lot of empathy for others, for the great job they are doing, for the difficulties

they may have, for the efforts that they put in their job and for the problems they have as a

private person, an individual, and which have an influence on their job.

Imagine someone who is absolutely mindful: he/she is enlightened. Enlightenment is

mindfulness. If you achieve that mindfulness so that you are aware at all times who you are,

where you are, how you are etc. then you know who you are. Who you are means

enlightened. The enlightened person will know who they really are. Mindfulness is a big part

of enlightenment.

If you are mindful, you will have empathy to really feel how and who the others are, and how

they feel. You will be able to find out their deficiencies and their skills. When you know their

skills and deficiencies than you will be able as a mindful person to reinforce the skills and

train the deficiencies. These will automatically make you to better lead their potential and to

be the better leader.

In your opinion, is a mindful workplace possible?

Working has nothing to do with mindfulness. Someone who is mindful will never work for

another person. He will work for himself because the whole meaning about mindfulness is

about the self and not about the others. Mindfulness can enhance and improve the quality of

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the individuals and this can mirror and reflect in better quality at work. However, you will

never ever have a working environment that is mindful. Therefore we have to be very careful

about this mindful environment or work. Either we are paying attention to the meaning of the

word and to the purity of it or we want to use it as an instrument for a better quality inside our

commercial environment. Both are possible but we are talking about two different words.

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APPENDIX C

Mindfulness training – interview with Christophe

Why did you decide to participate in mindfulness training?

There were several reasons for my participation in the training. At that time I was recovering

from burnout. Therefore, I had some time to think about myself. I had the opportunity to

follow the training course near where I live. I checked the name of the trainer on Google, and

it turned out that it was a serious person I had already followed some respiration sessions with

before. So, I decided to go for it.

In general, I am quite a stressed person and have difficulty saying “no” both in the workplace

and in the private environment. I like it when people like me. Following burnout I followed

therapy, mindfulness training and kinesitherapy, as due to stress I also had neck problems.

The combination of all these elements was helpful. In fact, it was my girlfriend who

supported me and who offered me the mindfulness training. Also another colleague

recommended mindfulness to me.

How was the training organised?

It was a small group with seven participants and two trainers.

I was the only male participant. The age of the participants was between 25 and 55. It turned

out that everybody was on the course for the same reason: six out of seven people were there

due to burnout. The last participant was there as ha felt unable to say “no”. It was very

reassuring for all of us to get to know that we are in the same position and we need to move

forward.

As regards the trainer, one of them was specialised in the theory of Jon Kabat-Zinn, Tai-Chi

and Yoga. The other trainer was specialised in different aspects of a healthy life (movement,

meditation, respiration, food, hydration and sleep).

During the following weeks, there was always focus on one subject, and, depending on the

subject, the aspects of healthy lifestyle were developed. Thus, all sessions were divided in two

parts: the first part was theoretical and the second practical.

The course was held during eight weeks on Saturday mornings, between 09 :00 and 12 :00.

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What are the benefits the mindfulness course brought to you?

One of the biggest benefits is that I now have much more energy.

It is important to underline that the trainers told us that the most difficult thing with

mindfulness is to go further with mindfulness once the course is finished. Now it is two

months since the training finished. I still continue to practise the elements that were the most

helpful for me, which are: breathing exercises, change in food habits and hydration.

One very important element explained on the course is to be focused during, for instance,

during conversations with another people. It is also crucial not to make presumptions about

anything. This is important in life, because presumptions disturb your perception. One should

focus on listening to another person with understanding and non-judgement, with the attitude

that everything is what it is. We should try to stay in the current moment. We shouldn’t

always go to the past as it can be deformed. We shouldn’t look into the future as it can change

very fast. Instead, we should try to live in the present moment. In fact, when you do that there

are so many things that could happen.

As for me, I try to focus on the present moment, for example, when I am talking to somebody.

I really focus and listen to the person. This attitude also helps me to be more focused during

meetings and to separate important and less important information.

Has mindfulness helped you to manage stress better?

Breathing exercises helped me with that. Breathing is something that is constantly with us. At

any given moment that is stressful, you can take a few seconds and start thinking about your

breathing. You should be focused and aware that you are breathing and you become aware

that external factors are stressing you. Factors that don’t need to stress you. Aware breathing

helps to recognise external stressors that don’t have to be external stressors. If you recognise

them at that moment, they are no longer present.

The second thing I learned relates to sleeping problems because of the thoughts that are

playing in your mind. You should know that these are only thoughts and not the facts.

Therefore, there is no sense losing one’s intellectual energy in involving in it. When you

understand this, it’s over. There is no reason to put more energy into that.

I’m much calmer and my focus is stronger. The issue of focus is very important. Taking a

noise as an example, you can focus on the noise coming from a bird in the garden or on the

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noise coming from the passing cars. You can decide to focus on the things that give you

energy such as birdsong. It is possible to, at any given moment, to isolate the things that you

are not interested in.

I can also say “NO”.

Do you continue to practise mindfulness now?

Currently, I am respecting a healthy and regular sleep pattern and eating habits. I walk every

day and do some yoga to flex my neck joints, upper back, hip and knees. When I walk I look

at the environment around. Also, when I am in the sauna I practise some yoga exercises. I try

to practise mindfulness in everyday situations, for example when I am waiting for a train or a

bus I do my breathing exercises. It has become a part of my life and my lifestyle.

In what situations can the training be helpful?

For me it worked well as a healing practice but it is definitely recommended as disease

prevention too. I would recommend mindfulness to anyone who struggles with themselves. In

my opinion, everybody struggles with themselves, even if they are not sick.