Maureen O’Callaghan – Good Business Research

The culture of a business has a huge impact on productivity and employee engagement. If there is a blame culture which penalises people for failure, employee engagement and morale will be low. But if there is a culture where achievements are celebrated, employees will feel more valued, be more committed and motivated to do well, which equals a more productive and successful business.

How can you create an achievement culture?

Recognise a job well done

If employees have performed well or gone the extra mile, recognising this and rewarding it is a form of positive reinforcement which is more likely to motivate employees, make them feel appreciated, and want to do well.

Set clear objectives

It can be difficult to keep employees motivated if they aren’t clear on the goals they’re working towards. If employees know exactly how their job role contributes to the overall success of the business, this will motivate them to achieve their targets.

Use incentives

When incentives are used appropriately, they can be used as a tool to encourage employees to collaborate and motivate each other.

Lead by example

Employees do take note of the behaviour of managers, so pay attention to what messages your behaviour gives them. This will impact on employee performance and what they think is expected of them.

Be visible

If employees feel far removed from managers, this can create feelings of mistrust. If however managers are seen to be visible and accessible, it builds trust and a feeling of ‘we’re all in this together.’

Be clear about standards

Be open and honest with employees about what you expect from them in terms of performance. If there is evidence of poor performance, deal with it sooner rather than later as this can undermine your authority and perceived leadership abilities.

Commit to learning and development

Employees should have the chance to develop within their role, for their benefit and for the benefit of the business. The world of business is constantly changing, and competitors will always spring up where you least expect it. Would you want to be in a position where you have stagnated or lack the expertise in your workforce because you had failed to encourage anyone to develop? Offer training in service standards and industry-specific training to keep employees’ skills up to date.

The culture of a business is often developed at the top but it pervades every level of an organisation. The culture will either motivate employees to do well for the good of the business, or it will make them feel undervalued and disengaged. Which do you think makes better business sense?

If you are interested in learning more about Maureen’s research, looking at relationships between character strengths, mindfulness and trustworthiness in business entrepreneurs e mail mOCallaghan@lincoln.ac.uk

Studies have found that practising mindfulness improves the ability to determine if something is right or wrong, which is known as moral reasoning. This is strongly linked to ethical behaviour.

Not only this, but it increases compassion and reduces the likelihood that we will act solely for the benefit of ourselves.

Mindful managers and decision makers make choices that are inspired by compassion and what they know is the right thing to do, rather than simply just to comply with the law and make a profit.

Can mindfulness promote ethical behaviour in business?

Self-serving thoughts and beliefs and biases often cause unethical behaviour, whether we are conscious of them or not. These can stem from simply not paying attention to how our minds work. We are conditioned to act in a certain way, and this impacts on the decisions we make.

Mindfulness can train us to pay attention to our minds and how we react to situations. It can help us to respond to situations compassionately rather than avoiding them or dealing with them in selfish ways.

How can mindfulness help us be ethically-minded?

It calms the mind and focuses our attention

Many people spend their time focusing on the past and the future, but training the mind to be present and aware increases the ability to be ethical. To make an ethical decision, or even see that there are ethical issues in the first place, your mind has to be present and not racing at 100mph. People who are in a hurry are less likely to be compassionate or helpful towards others.

It improves awareness of how we respond to situations

Whether we realise it or not, we often allow our unconscious minds to choose what feels most comfortable or familiar to us when we make decisions. When we do this, we are more inclined to miss new information or act on impulse, and this can lead to us making self-serving decisions. Mindfulness can make us aware of when we are acting in a certain way out of habit, and allows us the clarity to pause and consider whether we could act more ethically.

Mindfulness helps us deal with difficult emotions

Mindfulness teaches us to be aware of our emotions and accept them, rather than suppressing them, or reacting in an unhelpful way. It helps us to respond with compassion, to develop the ability to consider different solutions to problems, and to question the assumptions and beliefs we are bringing to a situation.

Does mindfulness necessarily lead to ethical behaviours?

Many businesses offer mindfulness training to employees, yet they don’t behave ethically. Why might this be the case?

The reason people practise mindfulness determines what they get from it

So if you are looking to reduce stress, that is what you will get out of it. If you are less stressed, you might make better decisions, but it is still possible to practise mindfulness and engage in behaviour that is less than moral.

People can find it hard to integrate mindfulness into their everyday lives

When you’re practising mindfulness, you might feel like you’re able to be present, aware, and calm, but it’s not easy to translate this into sound business decisions, especially when you’re under stress and likely to fall back into your default behaviour patterns.

Making ethical decisions: A quick guide

Here’s what to do when you’re faced with a challenging situation:

• Breathe: Don’t let panic set in. Stop for a minute, take a few deep breaths
• Observe your thoughts: Notice what you’re thinking and the emotions you’re feeling, but don’t try to suppress them or take control of you
• Question your beliefs and assumptions: Is the way you’re reacting to a situation down to bias or your emotions about it? Is there another perspective or point of view that you’re not seeing?
• What is your ideal outcome?: What would you like to get from the situation?
• What is the best choice you can make?: Not just for you, but for everyone involved

 

If you are interested in learning more about Maureen’s research, looking at relationships between character strengths, mindfulness and trustworthiness in business entrepreneurs e mail mOCallaghan@lincoln.ac.uk

The success of every business depends on good relationships with clients, customers, suppliers, and the wider community in which it operates. Good relationships are built on trust, and businesses with ethical values are more likely to be trusted, and according to research, more likely to be successful.

Sole traders and SMEs are no exception. People and companies want to do business with firms who have strong ethical values, and so should you. Would you want to do business with a person or company who consistently failed to abide by the terms and conditions you agreed on without explanation, or would you rather work with a company that usually delivered on its promises but that was open and honest with you on the rare occasions that it couldn’t?

Ethical issues sole traders and SMEs might face

When you’re a business owner, you’ll have many ethical considerations.

For SMEs, it might be delaying payment of invoices to suppliers if you’re having issues with your cashflow, or deciding whether to allow an employee to work flexibly if it would benefit them, despite having doubts about whether it would work for your business.

For a sole trader, it might be that you’ve promised to meet a deadline, but you’re not quite finished the work. Do you have an honest conversation with your client or do you send them something out that’s not quite finished, or not of the standard they would expect?

What guides ethical values in SMEs?

Depending on the size of the business, an SME may not have a formal code of ethics or policy. Instead, the business owner might lead the way in determining how business is done, and this filters down to employees. For sole traders, ‘doing the right thing’ should be their guiding principle if they want to have good relationships with customers and clients and build a good reputation. Often, sole traders will give clients and customers terms and conditions or contracts, letting them know what they can expect, and these may include ethical values.

Creating an ethics policy for SMEs

Having a formal ethics policy lets people know how business is done, and also lets employees know what is expected of them.

If you want to create an ethics policy, start by defining the core ethical values of the business. Then create a code of ethics that will tell employees, clients, customers, suppliers, and the wider world how you like to do business. Make sure the code is communicated to every person at every level of the business, so everyone knows what the company stands for and what behaviours are expected of them.

How to be more ethical: Tips for SMEs and sole traders

Being more ethical isn’t difficult. Here are some tips on how to be an ethical business that people want to work with:

Be a company people can trust

Meet your obligations, deliver on your promises, and never deliberately mislead people. Make sure your business is built on honesty and integrity.

Honour your commitments

There may be times when you can’t deliver on a promise to a client, but if this is the case, be honest about it. Tell them you’ve had some difficulties but you’re working hard to get back on track. Treat existing clients and new clients exactly the same too, every client is valuable, and it’s a small world; people do talk!

Produce materials that are clear and easy to understand

Whether it’s a product brochure, an advert, or your terms and conditions, make everything clear and easy to understand. Never mislead people deliberately into thinking they’re getting something other than what they’re paying you for.

Contribute to your local community

You can argue that your SME provides jobs to local people, but it’s also a good idea to get involved with things going on in your community from time to time. Whether it’s a charity event, or a community project, if people see that you’re doing your bit, it will enhance your reputation hugely.

Do business respectfully

Treat clients, customers, suppliers, and anyone else you come into contact with respectfully, and give them the courtesy and professional service that you would expect.

If you are interested in learning more about Maureen’s research, looking at relationships between character strengths, mindfulness and trustworthiness in business entrepreneurs e mail mOCallaghan@lincoln.ac.uk

The world needs a little kindness right now, and since the outbreak of the coronavirus, we have seen an increase in acts of kindness, from people going shopping for elderly neighbours to raising money for NHS charities.

But what is kindness, what motivates us to be kind, and why is it linked to wellbeing and healthier functioning at work and in life?

The definition of kindness

If you look at any definition of kindness, you will find common descriptions like doing favours or good deeds for others, helping them, taking care of them, and other acts of selfless service.

The theory of kindness

You might think kindness is just something you do, and being kind is just something you are, but there has been considerable research on the subject which has further explained the ‘theory’ about kindness, what it is, and what it is not.

The thinking about kindness says that it is;

• about being altruistic and selfless, not helping others because you will feel better or get something out of it.
• about seeing other people as being of equal worth to yourself.
• not about supporting family (which is known as kin-altruism).
• not tit-for-tat/reciprocal altruism(I’ve done this for you, now you should do this for me).
• possibly significant sacrifice for strangers and even enemies.
• considered the foundation of an ethical life.

‘Motives’ for kindness

Why are we kind? There are many possible reasons, one of which is that we like to be seen as kind because it’s a positive trait and it’s socially desirable. Many people who volunteer in various capacities are kind, but from my 30 years of experience in the voluntary sector, I have learned that people can have very mixed motives for wanting to volunteer, from wanting to increase their opportunities to socialise, to volunteering to gain power or a ‘leg up’ in some way. Even kindness is not black and white.

Are there genetic factors that make people more altruistic?

Apart from our motives to be kind, what other factors determine how kind we are? Research has found that altruism might be in our genes. In a study published in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, German researchers extracted DNA from the saliva samples of 101 men and women, in particular, focusing on three variations of the COMT gene, a gene which influences how neurotransmitters, our chemical messengers, are activated in the brain. They are of particular interest in this type of research because, neurotransmitters like dopamine are linked to positive emotions and bonding with other people.

The study participants had to memorise a set of numbers and repeat them as correctly as they possibly could, and they were given 5 Euros for doing this. They were then given the chance to increase the amount of money they had by gambling with it.

After that, the participants were shown pictures of a little girl from Peru on a charity advert. They were then told that they could anonymously donate some or all of the 5 Euros they had received to the charity.

The research found that people with two of the variations of the COMT gene donated twice as much money to charity as the people with the other variation of the gene. This happened regardless of gender.

Previous studies on altruism have been done on twins and have found that people with similar DNA display similar tendencies towards altruism, though the German study is the first to link altruism to an identified gene.

So our shared genetic material could mean that we display similar patterns of altruism, but what about shared experiences and emotions?

The difference between sympathy and empathy

Sympathy and empathy are both forms of kindness, and the terms are often used interchangeably, when in fact, they are quite different expressions of compassion.

When you express sympathy, you are expressing concern or sorrow for someone on quite a personal level. Examples include ‘I’m so sorry for your loss’ or ‘I really hope you feel better soon.’ What sympathy doesn’t require, though, is a shared experience with someone else. This is what makes it different from empathy.

Empathy is being able to see someone’s problems, pain, or suffering from their point of view and to share their emotions and experience.

But both sympathy and empathy are ways of acknowledging someone is in pain, and that we feel for them as fellow human beings.

Kindness, moral reasoning, and social responsibility

Hopefully, by reading this blog you’ve realised that there is a lot more to kindness than meets the eye.

Truly kind people want to help people because they believe in their inherent worth as human beings who are deserving of kindness and affirmation. They also have three distinct personality traits; empathy/sympathy, moral reasoning, and social responsibility. This means that they are generous with their time, money, and abilities because they know it will help someone in need. They are there for people, they listen to, empathise with, and support them. They are truly concerned for the welfare of others and they enjoy doing good deeds and taking care of people; they don’t do it out of duty or principle. They do these things because it’s the right thing to do.

Kindness and its many applications

I mentioned at the beginning of this blog that kindness was the key to better wellbeing and a healthier way of functioning at work and in life. This is because kindness is linked to positive emotions and ways of being, which can make the way we work, live, and interact with others much more fulfilling.

Here are just some of the things that are positively linked to kindness.

Gratitude

One thing that the current coronavirus crisis has taught us is to be grateful, even for the small things, because actually, they are the big things. The beauty of nature, talking to our friends and family, or that first sip of coffee in the morning. In normal circumstances, most of us rush around at 100mph and we forget to stop and be thankful for everything that makes our lives worth living. But now many of us have been forced to slow down, we’ve found a new appreciation for people and things, and that makes us more likely to be kind.

Teamworking

One of the places where it can be difficult to be kind all of the time, is the workplace, even though it’s probably one of the places where it’s needed most. Think about the people you work with regularly. You have no idea what they are going through or what invisible battle they might be fighting. An act of kindness, no matter how small, can make the biggest difference to someone.

Aside from that, kindness boosts morale, the sense of being a team, and makes being busy and up against it a little bit more bearable for everyone. It also creates a culture of kindness; one act of kindness nearly always leads to others.

Kindness is always a good idea, but when things return to some kind of normal after the current situation ends, it will be needed more than ever.

Leadership

Many people think that being a great leader is about being tough, but actually, research has shown that leaders who display warmth and kindness are more likely to inspire trust. Not only that, kind leaders who show appreciation for employees, support them, offer them feedback, and care for them as human beings are rewarded with better performing, more engaged, and loyal employees.

Fairness

Fairness is about treating other people with respect and kindness, and being able to understand what it’s like to be in their shoes. Fairness and kindness are closely linked and they share a lot of common characteristics, namely:

• The desire to do good and make the world a better place.
• Developing, nurturing, and valuing the relationships we have with others.
• Experiencing a sense of wellbeing from helping other people/making them happy.

Love

Many of us have our own ideas of love, based on our experiences, beliefs, and conditioning, but true love is (and should be) an appreciation of the world and everyone in it, and the fact that we are all one. That may sound overly idealistic to you, but love should not be reserved for people we feel have earned it or who we think deserve it, it should be extended to everything and everyone, even those we aren’t too fond of. This is loving-kindness; the giving of love and compassion to the world and everyone and everything in it.

Kindness is about humanity

When discussing kindness as a character strength, it sits within the virtue of humanity. Humanity is about caring for others, putting them before ourselves, and doing what we can to make the world a better place.

Kindness is needed now more than ever. Imagine what the world would be like if kindness and humanity motivated all of our actions.

If you are interested in learning more about Maureen’s research, looking at relationships between character strengths, mindfulness and trustworthiness in business entrepreneurs e mail mOCallaghan@lincoln.ac.uk

Our 24/7 society means that every aspect of our lives is speeding up. We can access goods and services around the clock, smartphones mean that we are available long after we have left the office, and the need to maintain our work, social, and family lives means that we are constantly multitasking.

Rushing through our lives with a seemingly never ending to do list leads to stress, anxiety, poor sleep, and a lack of balance. People realise this and they’re becoming more interested in slowing down the pace of their lives; but how can they realistically achieve this? Mindfulness might just be the answer.

What science says about mindfulness

There is an increasing body of research on the benefits of mindfulness. Among its many benefits, its ability to reduce anxiety and depression, improve cognition and reduce distractions are the focus of many studies. It’s in these ways that mindfulness gives us more control over our lives and helps us to slow down.

How to live and work mindfully

Rushing through things and always ‘doing’ instead of ‘being’ can make us forget the reason why we’re doing those things in the first place. We live our lives on autopilot, and our lives pass by without us even realising. If this sounds like you, it’s time to slow down. Here’s how you can learn to be mindful every day, in life and in work.

Focus on the present

Mindfulness is about living in the moment here and now, not in the past or thinking about the future. You can ground yourself in the present moment by thinking about what you can see, what you can smell, what you can hear, or the contact your body is making with the floor or your chair. Just be, and appreciate the things you don’t notice when you’re rushing around at 100mph.

Listen to your thoughts

Don’t judge them, just observe. Let them come and go, then focus on the present moment again. Being able to do this increases awareness and reduces the effects your thoughts have on you.

Focus on your breath

Focusing on your breathing can really help to ground you and calm your mind. Try taking 3 slow deep breaths, or just focus on your breath for a minute. If your mind wanders, realise that this is normal and take your focus back to your breath.

Do more things you get lost in

When you’re listening to music, painting, or drawing, or doing something else you enjoy, have you noticed how you get so focused on it that time seems to slow down? Do more of the things that lift you up and make life more joyful.

Stop multitasking

If you’re forever trying to do multiple things at once, you’ll find that your focus and attention is scattered, and this only adds to stress. Focusing on one thing at a time gets rid of chronic distraction and gives you a sense of achievement.

Putting mindfulness into practice:

The 3-minute Breathing Space Meditation

When you’re stressed out, it can be difficult to remind yourself to stay calm, and when you’re busy, you might feel like you don’t have time to meditate. This is exactly why this short Breathing Space meditation was created. It’s designed to create a pause in your day so you can collect your thoughts, ground yourself, and keep perspective. Use this daily, anytime you feel like you need it.

Here’s what to do:

Sit or stand up straight and close your eyes if possible. Be aware of your thoughts and feelings and acknowledge any difficult feelings that arise. Can you feel any sensations in your body? Acknowledge that they’re there, but don’t try to change them.

Now concentrate on the breath. Focus on the physical sensations of the breath in the abdomen; expanding as you breathe in, and relaxing as you breathe out. Ground yourself with each breath, and if your mind wanders, guide it gently back towards the breath.

Finally, expand your awareness to take in the body as a whole. Imagine the whole body is breathing. If you feel any discomfort in your body, imagine that you’re breathing in to these areas. Explore the sensations, but don’t try to change them in any way. Once they stop being the focus of your attention, become aware of the whole body again.

-adapted from Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World by Mark Williams and Danny Penman.

 

If you are interested in learning more about Maureen’s research, looking at relationships between character strengths, mindfulness and trustworthiness in business entrepreneurs e mail mOCallaghan@lincoln.ac.uk

Some people might think that leaders are superhuman beings that don’t get bogged down by everyday problems and stresses when in fact they often feel the weight of their responsibilities hugely. A leader’s decisions, behaviours, and actions can all have an impact on an organisation and its people; for good or bad.

But how can you, as a leader manage stress, increase your awareness, boost your creativity and use your leadership skills to make a positive impact? You can try becoming a mindful leader.

The habits of mindful leaders

They focus on one task at a time

Multitasking can mean that many jobs get started but not many get finished, and this can lead to overwhelm. Try focusing on one task at a time before moving onto something else. A good way to teach your mind to focus is to pay attention to your breathing when you feel your mind wandering. Do this for a minute, then go back to the task you were working on. Do this as often as you feel it’s necessary, and this will help to increase your focus.

They work on becoming self-aware

To be a good leader, it’s important to be aware of your emotions, and your strengths and weaknesses, as well as how other people respond in situations. Leaders who are self-aware are motivated by values and greater organisational goals rather than their own advancement. This can motivate others to work towards common goals.

They are optimistic

Good leaders are positive and optimistic, and will always focus on solutions, not problems. They don’t focus on what could go wrong and avoid taking risks, they spot potential solutions and think about the possible rewards of taking a chance.

They pay attention when people talk to them

Mindful leaders are able to give their complete attention to whoever is talking to them instead of problem solving or thinking of a response while the other person is talking. If you don’t pay attention, you can miss out on some great ideas and the chance to really connect with someone.

They make better decisions

Every decision you make will be informed by judgements and emotions formed out of your own experiences. But is a good decision made with the heart or the head? The answer is it should be made with both. When you take a step back and become aware that your decisions are based on assumptions or emotions, you have a better chance of making a good decision. Think about it; are you making the right decision are is your decision based on your emotional response to a situation? Being mindful can help you regulate your emotions and make decisions without judgement.

They empower employees

Mindful leaders give employees some autonomy to make decisions and they give them the chance to develop and shine. They reward good work and treat bad decisions or perceived failures as an opportunity to learn and grow. Good leaders know that when employees feel valued and trusted, they are far more motivated to do well.

They meditate regularly

Busy leaders often dismiss meditation and mindfulness because they believe that they don’t have the time to make it a priority. But good leaders know that because they have more authority and responsibility, they are more vulnerable to stress, so they use meditation and mindfulness to maintain balance and become more effective. Research has proven that just 20 minutes of meditation per day can have a considerable impact on the effectiveness of your leadership.

Maureen O’Callaghan is a Member of the Chartered Management Institute and has an MSc in Mindfulness-Based Approaches. She works with organisations, teams, and individuals to create less stressful working environments, improve team working, enhance performance and productivity and develop leadership and management skills.

 

For more information visit http://www.mocallaghan.co.uk or e mail maureen@mocallaghan.co.uk

What would you give to clear your mind of all of the clutter? To rid yourself of the thoughts and emotions that are taking up unnecessary space? To stop holding onto grudges, guilt, and anger? To no longer live on autopilot to the extent that you completely forget to make yourself a priority?

You might say you want to live a positive and happy life, but worries about the past or the future, and negative emotions simply clutter up your mind, and steal the joy you should be experiencing in your life. The good news is there are some steps you can take to declutter your mind and have a happier, more balanced existence.

How to declutter a busy mind

Declutter your surroundings

This doesn’t just mean your home, it means your workspace too. Clear that bulging closet and file away that pile of papers from your desk and just see how much less stressed and more balanced you feel.

Prioritise tasks

If you have a never ending to do list, this immediately clutters the mind and you can’t see the wood for the trees. Have a look at your list and categorise tasks as urgent, important but not urgent, and not urgent, and you’ll be able to see where you should be directing your energy. If you do have some onerous tasks on your list and you feel overwhelmed, try breaking them down into smaller, more manageable tasks.

Say ‘no’

We can sometimes feel guilty for saying no when people ask us to do something, but if you’re already very busy, and your brain is at boiling point, say no. You don’t even have to give an explanation. Just acknowledge to yourself that you have your own priorities and a responsibility to look after yourself.

Resurrect your creativity

Do you love to write, draw, or paint, but never feel like you have the time? Make time for activities that bring you joy, relieve stress, and calm your mind.

Accept that there are things you can’t change

Trying to control every little detail of your life, and allowing your thoughts to rule you is exhausting and overwhelming. Accept that there are things you can’t change, and decide to be happy. It can be that simple. For example, imagine that you get caught in a really heavy rain shower and you tell yourself ‘this is really miserable, I hate the rain, I bet it lasts all day,’ how is this likely to make you feel? It won’t make you feel good, that’s for sure. This is just a small example of how thoughts can really impact upon how you feel. You can’t stop bad things happening, but you can change how you think about them and react to them.

Practice mindful meditation

Mindfulness is about living in the present moment, not the past, or the future. Being mindful doesn’t need to be about meditating either, though this is very helpful in reducing stress and bringing clarity of thought. You can do any activity mindfully, whether it’s eating, showering, walking, or even washing the dishes. It’s about savouring what you see, feel, taste, smell, hear, or notice and it focuses the mind on exactly what you’re doing, and not on bills, the shopping list, or what that co-worker you don’t like said to you today. Mindfulness can help you learn how to just ‘be’ rather than running around on autopilot. In today’s busy world, everyone can benefit from being more mindful for the sake of their physical and emotional health.

If you are interested in learning more about Maureen’s research, looking at relationships between character strengths, mindfulness and trustworthiness in business entrepreneurs e mail mOCallaghan@lincoln.ac.uk

In my last blog, I looked at Mindfulness-Based Strengths Practice (MBSP) and how it differs from other mindfulness-based therapies.

The main difference is that it encourages you to approach your mindfulness practice from a strengths point of view, rather than thinking of mindfulness as a means of solving or ‘fixing’ a problem.

MBSP helps you overcome barriers to mindfulness practice

Whatever your intention when you start a mindfulness practice, you will probably hit some stumbling blocks, like a lack of time, or being frustrated that your mind is wandering all of the time. This is very common, but once you know your top character strengths, you can use them to overcome these barriers and really enhance your mindfulness practice.

As we explored in the last blog, MBSP helps us to realise our innate strengths and focus on the good attributes you have instead of the endless stream of thoughts running through your mind. It can also keep you focused on your practice even when it seems difficult, and to hold any troubling thoughts or feelings in non-judgemental awareness.

Using your strengths to enhance your mindfulness practice

Choose one of your top strengths, then explore how you might use it to enhance your mindfulness practice. Here are some ideas.

If your top strength is:

• Creativity: Try different postures and breathing techniques, and vary the way you deal with your mind wandering.
• Curiosity: Be curious about the thoughts, feelings, and emotions that arise during your practice.
• Love of learning: Read about different schools of thought around mindfulness and meditation.
• Perseverance: Tell yourself that you will overcome any barrier that stands in the way of your practice, whether it’s background noise or a wandering mind.
• Love: Dedicate your practice to someone you love. It can even be yourself!
• Kindness: Make self-compassion a part of your practice. Tell yourself it’s okay if your mind wanders, and quieten the negative self-talk.
• Teamwork: Practice mindfulness with another person or with a group.
• Forgiveness: Spend time before each practice forgiving people who have wronged you. It only hurts you to hold onto blame and anger.
• Self-regulation: Be disciplined with your practice-do it on the same day, at the same time, and for the same amount of time for at least one week.
• Appreciation of beauty/excellence: Go for a mindful walk outside and appreciate the beauty of everything you see around you.

The more you get used to using your strengths when you practice, the easier it will be for you to navigate any obstacles and your practice will become so much richer and more fulfilling as a result.

Reference:

Niemiec, R. M. (2014). Mindfulness and character strengths: A practical guide to flourishing. Cambridge, MA: Hogrefe.

 

If you are interested in learning more about Maureen’s research, looking at relationships between character strengths, mindfulness and trustworthiness in business entrepreneurs e mail mOCallaghan@lincoln.ac.uk

Motivated staff will perform better in their jobs, and are likely to remain in a job for much longer. Of course, different things motivate different people, but even a healthy pay cheque at the end of the month is not a guarantee that staff will retain their motivation for work. People need to feel happy and respected at work, and this is where a positive and motivating work environment comes in.

Studies have shown that an employee tends to be motivated for the first six months in a new job role, then there is a steady decline. So how can you create a working environment that helps staff to feel positive and motivated day to day?

What makes a great workplace?

A great workplace is where people feel they are respected, valued, able to raise concerns, and able to  contribute ideas. In a healthy workplace, people work together for the good of the organisation.

How you can create a great place to work?

Make staff feel valued and respected

Your staff are valuable to you and your business, so show them. Whether it’s having an Employee of the Month award, or holding regular social events like after work drinks, it’s important to show them that you care. The result will be a happier and more motivated workforce.

Set an example

You expect your staff to conduct themselves in a certain way, so make sure you do the same, and lead by example. Treat people with respect, and you’ll get the same back.

Offer opportunities for professional development

Offering training and development opportunities demonstrates that you’re willing to invest in your staff which is important. It will make staff feel valued and motivated, you’ll have the best people working for you with the most up to date skills, and that can only benefit your business. If staff feel they are able to grow while working for you, they will be more motivated to do well, and more likely to stay.

Communicate with employees

Make sure you’re accessible, and that you have regular contact with your staff, including meetings, where they can be kept up to date and raise any issues or concerns they might have. Even something as simple as greeting staff each day can make them feel motivated, valued, and not like they’re just a ‘number’.

Encourage creativity and individuality

If employees feel they can contribute ideas to benefit the organisation or improve services, they’ll feel more valued and motivated. It also allows them to stamp some individuality on their job role. If they are running with an idea they’ve came up with, they’re more likely to be enthusiastic about it.

Be positive

Negativity has an impact on motivation. Be a positive leader, and people will be motivated to work for you. Negativity is very draining and it can impact upon business performance and lead to employees looking for employment elsewhere.

If people are motivated and happy at work, they perform better, and your organisation can achieve its goals. Creating a great place to work doesn’t need to be difficult. It can be the simple things that make people feel appreciated and help your organisation become a shining example of a place where people really want to work.

 

If you are interested in learning more about Maureen’s research, looking at relationships between character strengths, mindfulness and trustworthiness in business entrepreneurs e mail mOCallaghan@lincoln.ac.uk

Being your own boss sounds like a dream; the flexibility to work when you want, escaping from office politics, and even working in your pyjamas if you want to, and it can be.

But if you decide to go it alone, it can come as a bit of a culture shock. Leaving the security of a salary and suddenly having to make all the decisions can be daunting. Here are some of the pressures and challenges faced by people running businesses:

Giving up financial security

Walking away from a permanent job, salary, and other benefits can be scary. But, the benefits of being your own boss can outweigh the risks. When you’re just starting off, you might be able to start your business on the side, but if you want your business to grow, eventually you’ll have to give up the day job.

Financing your business

If you’re just starting out, you’re likely to need to gather information on possible funding options for your business, and then start working hard on building a network of contacts.

Coping with uncertainty

When you start your own business, you’ll have many concerns. Will your business be profitable? Will you be able to pay yourself a salary? When you don’t have a steady wage to fall back on, and everything else is in a constant state of change, uncertainty is an unpleasant fact.

Staying motivated

The idea of running your own business might be attractive, but will you have the drive, belief, and determination to keep going through the tough times?

Lack of time

When you start your own business, you’ll soon come to realise that there aren’t nearly enough hours in the day. You’ll likely spend long hours working in the business and on the business, and that’s on top of trying to maintain a family life and social life.

Being afraid of failure

The idea of being self-employed can be attractive, but there will be inevitable challenges along the way. Don’t let mistakes or bad luck deter you from following your dream, if you want it enough. Learn from your mistakes and move on.

Hiring staff

If you need to hire staff, it can be a minefield. You need to pick people who are the right fit for your business, and consider how much it will cost to hire them.

Isolation

Being a business owner can be quite lonely, especially if you’re a sole trader. You might be working lots of hours when you first start your business, so you might not see family and friends as often.

How to reduce stress when running your own business

Don’t let your thoughts stress you out: What you tell yourself is true. If you tell yourself that you’re going to lose customers or that you’re going to fail, all it does is stresses you out. Don’t let irrational thoughts defeat you before you even start, concentrate on the facts.

Accept what you can and can’t control: Once you understand that you can’t control everything that happens in your business, you’ll feel more at ease. But there are things you can control, like taking time out to do things you enjoy or making sure that you finish working early on at least a few nights per week.

Make time to relax: Stress damages your immune system, and it can seriously affect your mental and physical health. Make time to do things you enjoy; you’ll be more relaxed, and your business will benefit.

Use mindfulness meditation: Mindfulness helps you to notice and accept your thoughts, without judgment. It also helps you to relax, so you will be able to choose not to react emotionally to things. This will put you in a far better position to fully enjoy, and immerse yourself in running your business.

 

If you are interested in learning more about Maureen’s research, looking at relationships between character strengths, mindfulness and trustworthiness in business entrepreneurs e mail mOCallaghan@lincoln.ac.uk