Mindful Leadership - Course Listing & Descriptions

This course is an introduction to mindfulness studies, and it is highly experiential by design. Students will learn the principles of mindfulness practice, develop their own meditation practice, and apply principles to daily life. We will study, explore, and discuss the origins of mindfulness in Buddhist thought as well as in other spiritual traditions. We will analyze and discuss
theory and research in the field of mindfulness and the emerging science that shows promising, beneficial effects for physical and mental health and well-being. We will share live teaching and practice opportunities during virtual sessions and a virtual mindfulness retreat.

Note: This course includes a proctored exam.

*This is the entry course for Master of Arts Mindfulness Studies and all Mindful Certificates.

Establishing a personal leadership philosophy is key to navigating today’s leadership responsibilities effectively. Through case analysis, discussion and journaling, students will explore how leadership theory translates into real-world application as practitioners. Beginning with how philosophers and scholars have approached the complexities of leading others, students will investigate how past and present concepts resonate with their own evolving values and beliefs. Specifically, in the practice of mindful leadership, students will consider how awareness, openness, and ethical behavior can enhance and expand their leadership to fit 21st-century needs.

There are no texts required for purchase in this course. Readings and video links are organized by week in course files.

Note: This course includes a proctored exam.

*This course is a pre-requisite for all Master of Arts in Mindfulness Studies and Mindful Leadership Certificates.

An important goal of any research course is to train the graduate students to be disciplined, productive researchers. This course fulfills one of the core requirements in the Mindful Leadership graduate program of study. The Research Methods course is designed to give students a broad view of the variety of approaches to designing good research. In this course we will survey many topics, techniques and methodologies.

Any activity that involves the interaction of human beings is bound to have ethical and spiritual implications. The purpose of this required course is to examine the spiritual and ethical implications of leadership. Essentially, this course asks students to consider the questions of how one ought to behave both spiritually and ethically as a leader. In whatever society we live in, these questions are raised as a regular part of human discourse. For example, in the course of an election, people will try to decide which of the participants would be a better leader. The term “better” is a value-laden term in that it implies some criterion or goal with respect to which we will measure potential leaders. It may be that, for some, “better” means “more effective” in achieving a certain goal. But, for this to make sense, the goal must have some value. Spirituality and ethics are key pieces in the study of value.

Note: This course includes a proctored exam.

The purpose of this course is to critically examine persistent constructs that serve and support colonialism from multiple perspectives. Through writing, discussion, and self-reflection, students will explore how power, privilege, sexuality, gender, and race are visibly and invisibly interwoven at all levels of society. Underlying this decolonization project is a focused study of neurological and scientific principles that inform individual and collective behaviors. Students will draw on meditative practice and leadership principles to disrupt colonial encounters through their own civil discourse and positive action.

The purpose of this course is to explore what earth stewardship means in this time of climate upheaval. All over the world, there is evidence that Nature is out of balance or at least dramatically changing—increasing numbers of fires, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, extreme cold or heat, and unusual changes in seasonal cycles. We are also in the 6th great extinction of plant and animal species. In this course, students will explore the factors that are contributing to this situation from the point of view of western science, the voices of indigenous peoples, the observations of ordinary people, and visionary leaders, all combined with mindful engagement with the natural world. Students will be asked to look at the causes and conditions that have led us to where we are now—both human and natural. They will consider whether there is an innate intelligence in Nature, particularly in plants and animals, and will be asked to expand their sensitivity to and understanding of what consciousness means. They will explore what it means for them to care about the Earth as private individuals, visionaries, and leaders and ask themselves if and how they can be stewards of the Earth—as humanity collectively seeks to shift the trajectory of the future from destruction to sustainability and interconnection.

This course aims to familiarize students with empirical research related to contemplative practices. The course challenges students to expand their knowledge of neuroscience and contemplative practices from a perspective of scientific inquiry.

*Pre-requisite MS5010/TP5015 Research Methods.

At the center of this course is a 5 to 8-day silent retreat intended to systematically deepen students’ practice of mindfulness and/ or meditation. The retreat builds on the mindfulness practice undertaken in (new course) Foundations of Mindfulness Studies. Students engage in analysis of, and critical reflection upon, oral and written mindfulness teachings, synthesizing these with the development of their own formal mindfulness practice and practice in daily life for the benefit of self and others.

*Pre-requisite MS5000 Foundations of Mindfulness Studies

The assumption behind this course is that each of us can make a difference in our families and communities by developing a greater consciousness of our own feelings, thoughts, and actions as they affect our ability to create harmony around us. The purpose of this course is to deepen students' understanding of the dynamics of peacebuilding as it relates to any situation. The course will also include the examination of some of the terms and modalities used in peacebuilding, such as reconciliation, conflict transformation, and mediation.

In this course, the student works with a faculty member to design a focused, in-depth study related to mindful leadership. The student must have completed 15 credit hours of work towards the degree. Each student is allowed to take up to two directed study courses within their degree program.

*Approval from Academic Advising and Faculty Required

This is the last course taken by students to complete the Master’s degree in Mindfulness Studies. The aim of this course is to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned in the program by integrating theory, practice, reflection, and application in a final capstone project. Students will work one-on-one with the faculty member to undertake a capstone project. Upon satisfactory completion of the project, students will present the results of their projects to the Mindfulness Studies faculty.

More information can be found in Moodle.

To consider leadership as transformative requires exploring the evolving relationship between self-transformation and the transformation of others. Within this course, students critically examine the inner dimensions of their own evolution towards wholeness as a starting point and throughout the course. They continually reflect on and contribute to contemporary discussions of the leadership process based upon the concepts of self-integrity and wholeness: leading from the inside out. This course asks students to give serious thought to this question: What does it mean to be a leader with strong personal wholeness? The premise here is that inner transformation depends upon the person and that such transformation can occur in context with others. This, in turn, inspires them to reach their own potential in the service of a higher good. Theoretically, leading from the inside out does not mean that “as I transform myself, I then transform others.” Rather, the group dynamic in which I operate presents an opportunity for mutual transformation: All of us evolve in ways that express who we are within the context of our environment and enterprise.

Change, Conflict, and Leadership is a thought-provoking course with challenging work assignments, practical frameworks based on relevant and current research, a process of deep self-reflection in relation to your role as a change agent, as well as a powerful change management simulation to immerse you in the complexities and nuances of effective change in organizations. This course is designed to help you understand the relationship between change and conflict and the role of leadership in both of these. You’ll learn frameworks, models, and perspectives for handling conflict and change (within yourself and others) that you can apply immediately throughout your lifeworlds, no matter what your formal or informal position within your organization.

*Assigned reading materials and media are included within the Moodle course as electronic
books, chapters, articles, media links, and assessments

The purpose of this required course is to understand how power works and how to use it skillfully as a leader with different parties and under different circumstances. Power dynamics exist any time two or more people are in a relationship. Leadership by definition involves the legitimate exercise of power to move people to follow a desired course of action. This course focuses on what spiritual paths call "right use of power," the ability to influence others by tapping into their own interests while serving the greater good. It covers the different kinds of power - when to use them skillfully for the best results; how to balance the need for results against the need to maintain positive relationships; how to manage and develop individuals; how to lead teams and serve on leadership teams; and how to lead larger organizations. Note: This course includes a proctored exam.

During this course, we will cover the subject of mindfulness and several of its theories, practices, and applications within leadership contexts, building upon the Foundations of Mindful Leadership course. Also, building upon the Foundations of Mindfulness Studies course, we will explore some of the scientific and theoretical work on meditation that helped lead to the secular innovations found in mindfulness practices, whose roots can be traced back to Buddhism and other spiritual traditions. We will discover how it has been adapted for leadership application in several fields, including: corporate business, education, the arts, non-profits, and integrative medicine, among others. In addition, we will engage in the practice of mindfulness through a detailed 28-day program. This experiential learning will be followed by engaging in the creation of a practicum proposal or case study of mindful leadership in the real world in a relevant and meaningful way to your life and studies.

This course aims to increase students' effectiveness in conversation, both with themselves and with others. Students will learn and practice different forms of listening and will also study several approaches to the dialogue process. Throughout the course, students will be asked to reflect on their own progress with, and challenges to, being effective listeners and participants in dialogues. The course offers numerous ways to practice these.

Professional development of others is central to leadership roles of any kind: managing direct reports, leading teams, or consulting, coaching, and mentoring others. The best leaders serve as mentors and coaches, developing the whole person to reach his or her highest potential. The purpose of this course is to understand the concept of coaching others in a developmental model that applies both to the coach and the client being coached. The theory of coaching will be introduced, and students will focus on practicing what they are learning. Participants will learn how coaching skills can deepen relationships, open up new possibilities, and empower others to take more initiative in their jobs and careers. Students learn the art of deep listening, powerful and wise questioning, how to “hold space” for another person in an important conversation and how to help someone else identify the next steps and move from reflection to action. Emphasis will be placed on assessing the client’s strengths, needs, and coachability, as well as developing the foundational skills necessary for observing, recognizing, and intervening for maximum effectiveness in coaching others and in building an organizational culture for coaching. Students will also build their personal mastery by applying to themselves the developmental coaching practices they learn both in mindfulness and in greater self-understanding.

*Pre-requisite MS6200/TP5205 Listening and Dialogue.

This course is part of the Applied Spirituality specialization and the Spiritual Guidance Mentorship Training certificate program. It is designed to deepen your appreciation of methods for connecting with your inner spiritual resources. The approach to this study and practice will be eclectic, drawing upon sources from Eastern and Western traditions. As you deepen your own inner life, it prepares you to better act as a guide, teacher, or mentor to others. The course culminates in a practical demonstration of your growing capacity to serve as a helper to other seekers. In the Practicum, you will have the opportunity to teach and share your own personal version of meditation instruction with either a choice of Mentoring 3 individuals for four weeks or creating and facilitating an 8-hour Workshop.

*Pre-requisite MS6050 Mindfulness Retreat.