22. base camp 29.02.2016: Mindfulness in business - no room for autopilot

After approaching the "cultureQs" together in a playful way at this year's first base camp, we practiced mindfulness at the second base camp.

The base camp is our established format for all managers who are interested in discussing current topics with us in a relaxed setting.

With 20 base camp participants, we started the exciting discussion on the topic of "Mindfulness in business" on February 29.

Frank Eberhard, Senior Executive Consultant at wibas, provided us with the basis for this with an introductory presentation.

The contents.

• Where do we know mindfulness from and why is the topic popular again?
• Jon Kabat-Zinn and his MBSR program (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction -> Link to the Center for Mindfulness)
• Mindfulness as a special kind of attention - intentional. Related to the NOW. Value-free.
• Mindfulness in business through a "Mindful Business Commitment" (-> Link to the page of the "Mindful Economy Network")

And that opened the discussion. In small groups, the participants discussed the questions and theses that were driving us in a familiar open space atmosphere:

... Can the rate of innovation demanded by digitalization only be achieved by mindful teams?

... If so, does this make mindfulness the new competence in the corporate competence model?

... And is it even possible to learn mindfulness?

... Is mindfulness really only for feel-good companies?

... Or even something completely private that has no place in business?

After a good hour, we all agreed: mindfulness belongs in business - more than ever!

We shared our findings in the plenary session:

• If you are mindful of yourself, you can be mindful of your environment.
• We should be more mindful of ourselves and our fellow human beings, because this is the only way we as a company can attract and retain talent.
• Mindfulness cannot be implemented, but it can be learned through sensitization and feedback.
• To do this, we need mindful role models who can bring mindfulness into the organization.

And so the cozy part of the evening could begin...