PART III

Creating a Mindful Workplace

What makes you think work and meditation are two different things?

—Dona Witten and Akong Tulku Rinpoche, Enlightened Management¹

WHO WOULDN’T WANT to work in an enlightened workplace? A place where people work hard and feel good about it; a place where trust is high between management and employees; a place of honest, open communication; a place characterized by integrity, personal responsibility, mutual respect, high achievement, personal satisfaction, joy, and great results—isn’t that where everyone wants to work?

Well, of course—but where does such a place exist, this Pure Land for workers? No need to call a headhunter, scan the want ads, or send out dozens of résumés in hopes of finding a mindful workplace. It isn’t out there, it’s in here. It exists where people want it to exist and are willing to work together in creating it for themselves.

How do you start? Start where you are. There is a haunting Zen story of a monk who asks how to enter his path toward enlightenment. His teacher says, “Do you hear the sound of the stream? Enter there.” How? It’s not a question of how, it’s a question of now.

If you’re a manager, supervisor, or executive, you can start by thoroughly assessing your leadership practices, the example you set for others, and the way you manage your people to get the job done. Start where you are.

If you’re a nonmanagement employee, start by looking at how you do your own work, how you interact with coworkers and bosses, and especially how you handle problems. Again, start where you are. Everyone has a role to play in creating a mindful workplace.

From humble beginnings grow changes that shape organizations. When the Buddha’s spirit animates the day-to-day activity of the workplace, the organization inevitably begins to wake up. This is what we mean by mindful work. And an organization where mindful work is getting done begins to change the world. Work is not a values-free zone; it is a profoundly powerful place in which to change the world.

Some of the ideas in this section should open your eyes to where to turn your attention first. Don’t wait for someone else to start creating the enlightenment; you may have a very long wait. It is vital that you start. Now.