Monday Motivation - How to be a Mindful Leader

Summary

In this Monday Motivation video, Dr. Seagull interviews William Bowler, a student in their top-ranked DBA program, who recently completed a course on high-performance leadership. William shares insights from his leadership mini-book, 'The Mindful Leader: A Four-Week Roadmap to Master OCD, Elevate Your Leadership, and Improve Your Life.' The book details his personal journey with OCD, how he's harnessed mindfulness and meditation for over three decades to manage it, and offers practical steps for integrating mindfulness into leadership and daily life, demonstrating its power to transform even the most challenging situations.

Takeaways

• 🎓 William Bowler is a student in a top-ranked DBA program and has written a leadership mini book as part of his coursework in high-performance leadership.
• 📘 The title of William's book is 'The Mindful Leader: A Four-Week Roadmap to Master OCD, Elevate Your Leadership, and Improve Your Life'.
• 🧘 William has been using mindfulness and meditation for about three decades to control and master his OCD.
• 👶 William's childhood struggles with OCD and his journey to overcome it are shared in his book, highlighting the power of mindfulness.
• 🔄 Mindfulness is described as an innate quality that can be awakened and utilized to one's advantage, despite the distractions of modern life.
• 📈 The book outlines a four-week process involving surrender, learning relaxation techniques, and applying mindfulness to improve life and leadership.
• 💪 William emphasizes that the techniques in his book are not only for those with OCD but can benefit anyone looking to enhance their focus and presence.
• 📚 The book is a practical guide, offering step-by-step mindfulness strategies that can be adapted to individual needs.
• 🤔 William's personal experiences with OCD, including his struggles with reading and the impact on his education, are detailed to demonstrate the effectiveness of mindfulness.
• 🔗 The book is designed to be a quick and accessible resource, with the potential for a companion journal to further support the practice of mindfulness.
• 🌟 The interview concludes with a suggestion to rename 'Monday Motivation' to 'Mindfulness Monday Motivation,' reflecting the impact of William's insights.

Q & A

What is the main topic of William Bowler's leadership mini book?

The main topic of William Bowler's leadership mini book is mindfulness and its application in mastering OCD, elevating leadership, and improving life.

How long has William been practicing mindfulness?

William has been practicing mindfulness for about three decades.

What is the title of William Bowler's book?

The title of William Bowler's book is 'The Mindful Leader: A Four-Week Roadmap to Master OCD, Elevate Your Leadership, and Improve Your Life'.

What is the significance of the book's title in relation to William's personal experience?

The title reflects William's personal journey of using mindfulness to control and master his OCD, which has been a significant part of his life since childhood.

How does William define mindfulness?

William defines mindfulness as paying attention and being aware of your present tense at all times.

What is the connection between mindfulness and OCD as discussed in the book?

The book discusses how mindfulness can be used to control and master OCD without the need for psychotropic medication, demonstrating the power of mindfulness in managing mental health conditions.

What is the structure of the four-week process outlined in the book?

The four-week process in the book consists of week-long steps that introduce relaxation, mindfulness, and visualization techniques that can be applied to any part of life, not just for managing OCD.

What was the turning point for William in his journey with OCD?

The turning point for William was when he surrendered to his OCD, expecting it to take over but instead finding relief and the beginning of a new approach to managing his condition.

How did William's experience in college contribute to his current understanding of mindfulness?

In college, William was placed in a remedial reading program due to his OCD, which led him to learn about meditative and relaxation techniques from a psychologist, laying the foundation for his current understanding of mindfulness.

What is the purpose of the companion journal that William is working on?

The companion journal is intended to provide a practical tool for readers to apply the mindfulness techniques and strategies discussed in the book to their own lives.

How does William's personal story in the book enhance its credibility and relatability?

William's personal story, including his struggles and successes with OCD, adds credibility to the book by showing that the techniques he discusses have been personally tested and effective. It also makes the book relatable to readers who may be facing similar challenges.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Embracing Mindfulness in Leadership

In this segment, the host introduces William Bowler, a student in the top-ranked DBA program and author of a leadership mini book. William shares his journey of using mindfulness to overcome OCD, a theme central to his book titled 'The Mindful Leader: A Four-Week Roadmap to Master OCD, Elevate Your Leadership, and Improve Your Life.' He explains the importance of mindfulness, how it's a natural state that can be cultivated and used to one's advantage, and how his personal experiences with OCD have shaped his leadership style. The conversation highlights the practical application of mindfulness in leadership and life, emphasizing its potential to transform even the most challenging situations.

05:01

🛠️ Overcoming Obstacles with Mindfulness Techniques

William continues to elaborate on his book, discussing the four-week process he underwent to surrender to and eventually master his OCD without the use of medication. He shares the transformative moment when he involuntarily surrendered to his condition and the relief that followed, illustrating the power of mindfulness. The book outlines week-long steps introducing relaxation and mindfulness techniques that can be applied to various aspects of life beyond OCD. William emphasizes that mindfulness is not just for those with OCD but can enhance anyone's leadership and life by improving focus and presence.

10:01

🎁 The Gift of Mindfulness: A Book and Beyond

In the final paragraph, the host expresses excitement for William's work and suggests renaming the segment to 'Mindfulness Monday Motivation.' The conversation concludes with the host's intention to recommend the book as a valuable resource and gift for those who might benefit from its insights. William hints at a companion journal to further support the application of the mindfulness practices introduced in his book, reinforcing the practicality and impact of his approach to personal and leadership development.

Keywords

💡Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present and engaged in the current moment, without judgment. In the video, it is defined as paying attention and being aware of one's present tense at all times. The theme of the video revolves around the power of mindfulness in managing OCD and improving leadership. The author's personal journey with OCD is intertwined with his discovery and application of mindfulness techniques, which he shares in his book.

💡OCD

OCD, or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, is a mental health condition characterized by recurring, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions). In the script, the author discusses his personal battle with OCD since childhood and how he learned to control it using mindfulness and meditation. The book aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of these techniques in managing OCD and enhancing leadership skills.

💡Leadership

Leadership in the context of the video refers to the ability to guide, influence, and inspire others towards achieving goals. The author's book is about high-performance leadership and how incorporating mindfulness can elevate one's leadership abilities. The script mentions that the author is a student in a DBA program, which emphasizes the relevance of leadership in business and personal development.

💡DBA Program

A DBA, or Doctor of Business Administration, program is a postgraduate degree designed to prepare individuals for executive-level positions in business. The script mentions that the author is a student in a top-ranked DBA program, indicating the importance of the program in his professional development and the practical application of the concepts learned in his leadership book.

💡Meditation

Meditation is a practice that involves focusing the mind to achieve mental clarity and emotional calmness. In the video, the author explains that what is now known as mindfulness was initially referred to as meditation. He uses meditation as a tool to manage his OCD and shares his experiences and techniques in his book.

💡High-Performance Leadership

High-Performance Leadership refers to the ability of a leader to inspire and motivate a team to achieve excellence and peak performance. The script mentions a class by the same name, which the author took, and it is implied that the concepts taught in this class influenced the content of his book on leadership and mindfulness.

💡Consciousness

Consciousness, in the context of the video, refers to the state of being aware of and able to think and perceive one's surroundings, thoughts, and emotions. The author suggests that mindfulness is inherent in everyone with consciousness, but it needs to be awakened and utilized effectively, as discussed in his book.

💡Mindfulness Techniques

Mindfulness techniques are methods used to cultivate mindfulness, such as meditation, deep breathing, and body scanning. The author of the book outlines a four-week process involving various mindfulness techniques to help readers manage OCD and improve their leadership and life.

💡Visualization

Visualization is a technique where individuals create mental images to achieve a desired outcome or to influence one's thoughts and feelings. In the script, it is mentioned as one of the mindfulness techniques that can be used not only for managing OCD but also for enhancing leadership and other aspects of life.

💡Therapy Dog

A therapy dog is an animal specifically trained to provide comfort and affection to people in need. In the video, the author uses the analogy of a therapy dog to describe the role of mindfulness in alerting him when he is about to spiral into obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviors, illustrating the practical application of mindfulness in daily life.

💡Spiral

In the context of the video, 'spiraling' refers to the cycle of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors that can worsen if not managed. The author describes how mindfulness helps him recognize when he is about to spiral and take steps to prevent it, which is a key message in his book.

Highlights

William Bowler, a student in the top-ranked Forbes DBA program, shares his experience writing a leadership mini book.

The book 'The Mindful Leader: A Four-Week Roadmap to Master OCD, Elevate Your Leadership, and Improve Your Life' is William's personal journey with mindfulness and OCD.

William has been using mindfulness for three decades to control and master OCD.

The book details William's struggles and triumphs, offering a relatable narrative for readers.

Mindfulness leadership is a growing field with both good and bad aspects affecting our daily lives.

Everyone possesses mindfulness, but modern distractions often draw us away from it.

William likens mindfulness to a jug of milk that needs to be 'woken up' and used to one's advantage.

The book provides a four-week process to help readers master OCD and improve their leadership through mindfulness techniques.

The first step in the process is to 'surrender' to OCD, which was a turning point for William.

William's personal experience with OCD and college struggles adds credibility and relatability to the book.

The book offers practical mindfulness techniques that can be applied to any area of life, not just for those with OCD.

William emphasizes the power of mindfulness in controlling OCD without the need for medication.

The book is a hands-on guide, offering practical steps and strategies for readers to apply in their lives.

William is working on a companion journal to further support readers in their mindfulness journey.

Mindfulness is defined as paying attention and being aware of the present, with practical applications for leadership and daily life.

The book serves as a reminder of past struggles and a guide to current success, offering hope and strategies for overcoming challenges.

The interview concludes with a suggestion to rename the segment to 'Mindfulness Monday Motivation', emphasizing the importance of the topic.

Transcripts

well hey there I am really excited for

this Monday motivation where I am joined

by one of our students and adun

professors William bowler and so William

not only is a student in our DBA program

our number one Forbes ranked DBA program

but he's especially a student in my

class that just finished high

performance leadership and one of the

culminating assignment options was to

write a leadership mini book I know many

of you have heard me talk about this and

William did that he wrote this really

cool leadership book we'll put a link uh

in this email or however you're getting

this video to the book but I really

wanted to have him join us and share a

little bit about what he chose to write

about and how it's informed his

leadership so hi William hello hi so

yeah tell us a little bit about what is

the book about and why did you decide to

write on this topic well I decided to

write on a topic because I've been using

mindfulness now for about three decades

um and you if if you if you purchase a

book you you you will be able to read um

kind of my trials and tri ulations as a

child and what what got me here that's

right the title of the book is the

mindful leader a four-week road mapap to

master OCD elevate your leadership and

improve your life that's it that's a

mouthful it is so U as a child I had OCD

and as an adult I still have OCD uh but

the difference is uh for the last three

decades or so I've been controlling it

and mastering it through the use of uh

mindfulness and meditation

uh when when I started using mindfulness

it wasn't called mindfulness it was just

called meditation basically yeah um yeah

so so uh that's why I went forward and

and decided to write the book uh as I

started looking into the literature I

found that mindfulness leadership was a

big thing still is a big thing and uh

it's it's becoming more and more of a

big thing and and here's the thing about

mindfulness there's there's good news

and bad news about mindfulness the good

news is we're all born with it if you

have Consciousness if you're if you're

and if you're a if you're awake okay and

you're walking around and you're

performing a job and you're you have

mindfulness you may not know it but you

do uh uh but the bad news is everything

that goes on in our lives uh from cell

phones to Family Matters to job uh

everything draws us away from our

mindfulness so I like to think of

mindfulness as a as a uh kind of a jug

of milk that's been sitting in your

refrigerator for the last 40 years and

it's spoiled and it's your job wake it

up and use it and use it to your

advantage um so we all have it all we

have to do is wake it up and unspoil it

so I love that analogy that's so great

and so you used mindfulness techniques

and strategies not only to master OCD

but really improve your life and your

leadership and that's what you're doing

today and you're in our DBA program so

we know yes yes 100% I'm glad to be here

as uh in the top ranked DBA program and

that actually got yeah that actually got

the uh the notification uh and the

accolades when right after I had uh kind

of got into the program so I'm really

really glad to be here well I'm sure

it's because you enroll that really

helps

elev yeah okay uh so so in in the book

in the book I give you some uhh some of

my childhood right and and I tell you

how I got to where I'm at okay it's it's

it's it's a bit of a tearjerker there

were some trials and tribulations and

some trauma as a child uh that brought

on the OCD um and having OCD I uh I

almost didn't make it into college

because when I got into college and was

accepted uh we went through what what

was called a u a trial period that's

like a week of uh of of tests and where

they're going to place you and what

classes and that sort of thing and I was

reading on the fourth grade reading

level and that was not acceptable and

the reason that was happening is because

when I was reading in in high school I

could only read the first sentence of

every paragraph

if you know anything about OCD it's uh

it's called obsessive compulsive because

you have obsessive thoughts then you

have these ritualistic compulsions that

come along with that to relieve the

stress of your obsessions okay so my

obsession was death and loss Through

Fire how it got there I don't know but

that's what I that's what I focused on

and so my my my my whole ritual was I

had to read the first uh sentence of

every paragraph at least four times but

the more stressed out you get you you

you read it four times and then you read

four time four and then it's four time

four time four my point is is you can

get stuck in a loop and start what I

call spiraling um and and that's where

um uh I had to learn when when when I

went to remedial reading which was

entirely embarrassing and I tell you I

when I got the letter I if last year was

was the first time I mentioned it to my

parents and I never told my father right

last year isn't that amazing how we

carry these things with us

oh it was I but after that I forgot it

because uh it's it's really a reminder

of the past and a reminder of uh how

it's good because it reminded me where

I'm at but it's bad because it was it

was really I had to clear the air right

so in the book I go through fstep

four-week process and the first step is

to surrender okay when I surrendered to

OCD I did it involuntarily I got sick

and tired of it I was s I'm sitting

alone in my apartment I just screamed at

top my lungs and you'll read that in the

book I'm done with you I'm through with

you you

win just do what you want to do and I

expected my what I call my OCD monster

to take over at that time and he didn't

it's really weird it's like when when I

gave no resistance neither did he right

what a turning point I remember that it

was like such a turning point because

you're like where's this going to go

which way and then it was like wow yeah

it just relieved it's a lot of stress

and a lot of pressure and at the same

time I was seeing a psychologist through

through the college and I actually saw

that psychologist all four years so uh

he helped me tremendously because he

would give me little assignments to go

to go take a look at meditative

techniques and relaxation techniques Etc

some of the stuff I I go over in the

book um step two and step step two

through five are week-long processes

each okay and I do that because it's an

introduction now after you learn this

stuff you can do what whatever you want

to with it you know whatever feels best

for you pick and choose right and the

other thing is is is this book isn't

only for people with OCD once you learn

relaxation and mindfulness and

visualization you can use these in any

part of your life yeah it's incredible

the changes that that that that it can

make the reason why I why I I I I kind

of bent it toward OCD was because I

wanted to demonstrate how powerful

mindfulness is I never took one

psychotropic medication when I when I

had OCD and I had it really bad okay so

um uh that's how powerful mindfulness is

that's why I put these steps in the in

the book well I love it because this is

like a Hands-On guide I thought the same

thing when I was reading it first of all

you have to get this book because the

way William tells you this story you

will immediately be drawn in and there's

such a credibility to it because it's

like people know wow you've been there

but also like I can take away so much

from it too even though maybe I can't

relate to the OCD part too much who

knows but also it's like wow these these

work if this can work in the most

difficult and intense of circumstances

this can work in any leadership or life

peril so I really appreciate it and it's

so applied that's what's so great is

this isn't some long book on Theory it's

a very short and sweet mini guide book

and I hear you're working on a companion

journal for it too which is I am I am I

am yes I

am yeah and and so uh um mindfulness

within itself is when you when you

define the word mindfulness if you ask a

100 people maybe 10 of those may know

what it is and out of the 10 they're

going to tell you something different

but mindfulness is just is just

basically paying attention being being

aware of your present tense at all times

right and and having uh ADHD or OCD is

like having one of your therapy dogs

with you I had I had a friend when I was

in college that had a therapy dog and

anytime he would be close to to to a

seizure the therapy dog would put his

paw on his on on on on on Jack's knee

and so Jack could then take the

preemptive steps he needed to take uh to

toh get himself to a safe place and to

squelch what was going to happen to him

right so U uh having mindfulness is like

having that little uh uh dog in your

head that that little friend that lets

you know when things are going to start

spiraling and that that is where the

magic is I uh my spouse is extremely

understanding and there are times when I

get very stressed out I'm I'm having

trouble I'm I'm checking the stove I

know immediately when I'm going to start

to spiral so I go to my wife and I go do

me a favor I'm G to step outside can you

please check the stove and then tell me

come out tell me it's okay and so that's

what she does and so she come out she

it's fine it's off you're good to go um

that's what mindfulness does for you it

doesn't pure your OCD it helps you

control your OCD and or ADHD and if you

want to use it to for for for your

leadership yeah go for it it does

nothing but but uh but but increases

your leadership you're so right because

how many of us could use better focus

and to be present myself included in

meetings when there's emails and there's

texts and there's all sorts of things

you're thinking about on your to-do list

this really helps you develop that

mindfulness security so William I'm so

excited for you we'll put a link I

highly recommend this book it's

extremely readable and to gift it as

well because you may know folks that

struggle with this or who could benefit

from this and it just makes a great gift

so thank you for joining us on our

Monday morning motivation I think we

need to change it to mindfulness Monday

I like that even better mindfulness

Monday motivation so thank you so very

much thank you Dr seagull