In this engaging discussion, Lindsey Cameron, an Assistant Professor at Wharton and mindfulness expert, explores the impact of mindfulness in the workplace. She delves into its real benefits versus the hype of “McMindfulness,” offering insights on how mindfulness can reduce bias and enhance employee well-being. Lindsey shares her unique perspective shaped by her background in U.S. intelligence and African spirituality, emphasizing the importance of authentic practices for emotional regulation and deeper workplace connections.
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Mindfulness in War Zones
Lindsey Cameron's interest in mindfulness began during her time in the U.S. intelligence community.
A Yoga Journal article offered simple mindfulness techniques, which helped her cope with the stress of deployment in war zones.
insights INSIGHT
Mindfulness at Work
Many companies offer mindfulness programs, but their implementation varies widely.
Some provide app subscriptions, while others incorporate brief mindfulness moments before meetings.
insights INSIGHT
McMindfulness Debate
The "McMindfulness" critique acknowledges the valid concerns about simplifying ancient traditions for corporate settings.
However, even these simplified practices can still offer benefits to individuals.
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People have mixed feelings about the popularization of mindfulness and meditation over the last 10 or 15 years with some referring to it as “McMindfulness.”
The critiques can be worthy and the mainstreaming of meditation and mindfulness also have helped millions of people upgrade their lives. One of the many areas where mindfulness and meditation have made inroads of late is the workplace.
All sorts of employers are offering their teams access to meditation via apps or in-person training. But does this stuff actually work? Does it really make you happier at work or better at your job? And what techniques produce which benefits?
Professor Lindsey Cameron is an Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Management. Her research focuses on mindfulness as well as the future of work. She has a 20 year practice, having studied and taught primarily in the Vipassana and non-dual traditions. In her prior career, Professor Cameron spent over a decade in the US intelligence and in diplomatic communities serving the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
In this episode we talk about:
What companies mean when they talk about mindfulness at work
What the mindfulness at work research says and how Prof. Cameron parses the results
The ways mindfulness helps us counteract our inherent biases and stereotypes
Which specific practices are most beneficial, depending on the situation
Prof. Cameron’s tips for integrating small mindfulness moments into our everyday routines
Where she stands on the whole “McMindfulness” debate
Prof. Cameron’s research into the gig economy — and how, paradoxically, an Uber worker can feel a sense of autonomy and freedom even though the work is ultimately being dictated by an algorithm
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