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.