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PractisingMindfulnessintheWorkplace:IdiographicPerspectivesofMindfulLineManagers
NiamhImbusch*,SabirGiga,AlisonCollins.CentreforOrganizationalHealthandWellbeing,LancasterUniversity
ResearchPurpose
Toexplorelinemanagers’livedexperiences:
Whatarethefeaturesofcommercialorganisations’ thateitherencourage
ordiscouragemanagersfrompractising mindfulnessatwork?
InterpretativePhenomenologicalAnalysis(IPA)Methodology
Idiographic- smallhomogenoussample(n=7)• Linemanagers• Workingincommercialorganisation• Experienceofmindfulness(Baer2003)• Highdispositionalmindfulness(SF-FiveFacetMindfulness
Questionnaire)(Bohlmeijer etal2011)
Semi-Structured1-2-1Interviews• Recorded,transcribed,redacted,pseudonyms• Descriptive,language-useandInterrogative
interpretations• Emergentthemes• Recurrentthemes– inductiveanddeductive• Superordinatethemes
SuperordinateTheme:Organisational Perspectives– factorswhichencouragethepractise ofmindfulness
Theme(s) Description
Emotionalcontrol Mindfulnessenablesindividualsto‘showup’betteratwork
Performance Mindfulnessimprovespersonalandteamperformance
Interactions Mindfulnesshumanises work-basedrelationshipswithsubordinatesandpeers
SuperordinateTheme:Organisational Perspectives– factorswhichdiscourage thepractise ofmindfulness
Theme(s) Description
PhysicalSpace(P) Findingappropriatephysicalspaceintheofficeinwhichtopractise mindfulness
Perceptions(C) If mindfulnessisviewedasabit‘outthere,’howwillmyteamperceiveme?
CareerRisk(E) Beingassociatedwithmindfulnessatworkcouldbecareerlimiting
ConclusionsCommercialworkplacesrequireemotionalcontrol,performance-orientationandinhibitionofhuman,relationalcharacteristics.
Mindfulnessenableslinemanagerstocopeandfunctioneffectivelyinthiscontext.
Barrierstomindfulnesspractise incommercialworkplacesinclude:• Practical – e.g.physicalspace
• Cultural – e.g.perceptionsabouthowthoseinauthority–particularlymen- oughttobehave
• Ethical – e.g.overtandhiddenmessagesaboutthetypesofbehaviours andattitudeswhichgetrewarded/promoted
Supports:
ShoninandVanGordon(2015):mindfulnesstrainingenhancesmanagers’jobperformance(includingsupervision)
PurserandMilillo (2015):commercialsettingspresentchallengestotheenactmentofmindfulness-basedbehaviours
ImplicationsSuggeststhatMBIsoughtto:
Practical• Provide spatialandtimetablingconsiderationto
implementationand continuingpractiseCultural• Focusonbusiness-relatedbenefits• Provideclearsenior,malerolemodelsandchampionsEthical• Continuetobeofferedonavoluntarybasis• Continuetobeofferedatanindividuallevel• BeofferedinconjunctionwithestablishedEAPorsimilar
supportprogrammes
OpportunitiesforFurtherResearch:
Closerinvestigationofrelationshipsbetweenindividualmindfulnessand(a)organisational mindfulness(ChoiandTobias2015),and(b)compassionintheworkplace(Kanov etal2004).
Comparativeexplorationofpublicallyquotedandtriplebottomlineentities
Correspondenceto:[email protected]:
Baer,R.A.,Smith,G.T.,Lykins,E.,Button,D.,Krietemeyer,J.,SauerS.,Walsh,E.,Duggan,D.,andWilliams,M.J.(2008)“Constructvalidityofthefivefacetmindfulnessquestionnaireinmeditatingandnonmeditatingsamples,”inAssessment,Vol.15,No.3,pp.329-342.
Bohlmeijer,E.,tenKlooster,P.M.,Fledderus,M.,Veehof,M.,andBaer,R.(2011)“PsychometricPropertiesoftheFiveFacetMindfulnessQuestionnaireinDepressedAdultsandDevelopmentofaShortForm,”inAssessment,Vol.18,No.3,pp.308– 320.
Hunter,J.,andChaskalson,M.(2013)“Makingthemindfulleader:Cultivatingskillsforfacingadaptivechallenges,”inLeonard,H.S.,Lewis,R.Freedman,A.M.,andPassmore,J.(eds.)TheWiley-BlackwellHandbookofthePsychologyofLeadership,ChangeandOrganizationalDevelopment, Wiley-Blackwell.
Reb,J.,Narayanan,J.,andChaturvedi,S.(2014)“Leadingmindfully:twostudiesontheinfluenceofsupervisortraitmindfulnessonemployeewell-beingandperformance”,inMindfulness,Vol.5,pp.36-45.
Shonin,E.andVanGordon,W.(2015)“Managers’experiencesofmeditationawarenesstraining,”inMindfulness,Vol.6,pp.899-909.
Smith,J.A.,Flowers,P.andLarkin,M.(2009)InterpretativePhenomenologicalAnalysis:Theory,MethodandResearch Sage,London.