FOR ORGANIZATIONS
Programs for Organizations
The Modern Wisdom Leadership Institute helps individuals and organizations discover their unique meaning, purpose and direction so all involved can live more joyful, fulfilling and successful lives.
We embrace timeless wisdom that brings together the heart, the mind, and the spirit for extraordinary results. We draw inspiration from the great business thinkers and great spiritual leaders of past and present to create holistic solutions that benefit all stakeholders.
The Enlightened Workplace — Bring the Buddha to Your Business
Why are so many employees planning to switch jobs?
Why are so many workplaces filled with unmotivated staff?
Why can’t we find meaning and purpose in our work?
These are questions we get asked a lot these days.
Many people today are wondering why they have to spend so much of their waking hours struggling at jobs that don’t bring them joy, with people who are similarly disengaged, and with little support, direction or purpose.
If you have these same questions and want to discover how to change your work life, how to change your workplace and even how to change your boss, then this revolutionary new workshop is for you.
Today organizations are looking for new models for how to do business in the post Pandemic world. The old methods of leadership, internal communications, sales, production, marketing, and customer relations are being challenged, and frankly just won’t cut it today. In addition, a tightening labor market has companies and organizations scrambling to attract and retain good employees. Add in the blizzard of ever expanding new technologies and you can imagine how challenging it is to build and run a successful business these days.
But no matter what the challenges, no matter what the technological advances, at the foundation of every business are people. And more than ever, people are our most precious asset in business.
The Enlightened Workplace is a program for leaders, for managers, and for employees. It focuses on basic tenets that have proven valuable for companies, organizations, leaders, and employees across the globe. Through clear explanations, case studies and practical hands-on exercises, this full day workshop can help any team or organization begin to create an Enlightened Workplace where everyone is valued, brings their best selves to work, and is moving in a united manner toward over-delivering satisfaction to customers.
What Is an Enlightened Workplace?
An Enlightened Workplace is one where everyone is valued, where there is openness and transparency, where challenges are welcomed and problems are solved collectively. It is an environment where people are recognized for their achievements and compensated fairly. In an Enlightened Workplace, customers are looked on as partners and so are vendors; all are actively engaged in a continuous cycle of constructive feedback and improvement.
An Enlightened Workplace also engenders meaning, purpose, and clear direction so everyone knows who we are, what we stand for, and where we are going—together.
The principles of an Enlightened Workplace are based on timeless wisdom of the Buddha as applied to actual workplaces and work relationship. They are universal and available to you or anyone who wants to bring them to their office, shop, factory, or agency.
After considerable study, many interviews, and direct experience, we have come to understand that there are eight principles that are crucial to creating an Enlightened Workplace:
1). You Are What You Believe.
Your beliefs determine your worldview, your actions, and your level of happiness and success. At the heart of this understanding is the Buddhist concept of the “oneness of life and its environment.” This is way more than just positive thinking.
2). Take Personal Responsibility: Change Yourself First.
At most companies, this is a radical concept. But the Buddha teaches that when we take personal responsibility for everything we do and everything that happens to us, we also take the power to change things.
3). Cause and Effect Is Strict.
In fact, according to the Buddha, it’s the law. And this law tells us that every good deed will be rewarded. And every bad deed will be punished. Eventually. This goes hand in glove with another of the Buddha’s teachings that “unseen virtue brings visible reward.” Is it really that simple?
4). Each Person Is a Buddha in Training.
As the Buddha teaches: “You should rise and greet [another] from afar, showing him the same respect you would a Buddha.” No one is perfect, but everyone is worthy of respect. Easier said than done, am I right?
5). Have a Heart of Service.
The Buddha said, “To light a lamp for another will brighten your own way.” In other words, helping others get what they want is the most certain way of getting what you want as well.
6). All Things Are Interconnected and Interdependent.
From the Buddha’s standpoint, our lives are not contained solely within our bodies but radiate out in all directions throughout the universe. Thus, your happiness is my happiness, and my sorrow is your sorrow. What does this mean in business?
7). At Each Moment:
Say What Needs to Be Said, and Do What Needs to Be Done.
How to handle problems, failure, challenges and obstacles internal and external. It’s possible. Honest.
8). Everything Starts With Dialogue:
Dialogue creates open communication, trust, and spurs cooperation and innovation. End endless useless meetings and start creating real dialogue.
When you embrace the 8 principles listed above, the result is a joyful, fulfilling environment for everyone.
Organizational development specialists tell us that people care about organizations that they believe care about them. This is true as well for customers and vendors. The Buddha and those who followed his path left us a map for building great companies and organizations that can thrive in changing times. Now, for the first time, The Enlightened Workplace—Bringing The Buddha to Business presents these golden truths in an easy-to-understand and easy-to-implement workshop format.