The 3rdWorld Conference on Buddhism and Science (WCBS)
Buddhism and the Business World – A New Relationship
Rasmus Hougaard, Potential Project

Abstract

Any sentient being is experiencing samsara, even the biggest CEOs of the biggest corporations.

Modern working environments are often full of pressure, stress and fear. The need for the Buddhist methods for developing a happier life through a clear mind, compassion and wisdom are much needed here.

All our words as well as actions come from our mind, consciously or subconsciously. If we wish to change anything in our life, whether it is social relationships or professional performance we need to start with the mind.

The Potential Project is a global training organization that is training employees and executives in corporations in the Buddhist mind training methods. It presents the methods in an entirely scientific framework of neurology, cognitive science and positive psychology rather than a religious context.

The training programs are received very well in the corporate world in places like Sony Corporation, General Electric and many others. This is because the results show great benefits to both the bottom line as well as to the individuals well being.

Even corporate people experience samsara …

Increasing workloads and tighter deadlines are the major challenges of today's working life. Without effective tools to deal with these pressures the result can be an in-balance in our emotional, mental and physiological wellbeing, at work and at home. However, we all have the potential to fully embrace our daily challenges, and to do so with focus, effectiveness, kindness and joy. Managing our mind is the solution.

Shantideva said that life is like walking on the ground with bare feet. The ground will always be full of small stones pebbles and so forth that hurts our feet. In order to avoid this suffering he said, there are two basic ways: Either we cover the entire earth with a nice and soft carpet so that it is comfortable to walk wherever we want to go. This would be equivalent to trying to change all the external things in our life's to be perfect - like changing the people around us to be exactly as we want them to be – and making everything else perfect. The second way would be to simply cover our feet with a little sole so that we can walk the ground without discomfort. This would be equivalent to changing the way that we relate to the difficulties of life – a mental shift.

Manage your mind – manage your life

An old proverb says:

“Mind your thoughts, as they become words;

Mind your words, as they will become actions;

Mind your actions, as they become habits;

Mind your habits, as they shape your life.”

Basically it is saying that the way we think comes before any action or any word. And that our thoughts words and actions are becoming the life we live. So if we want to change anything in our life, whether our social relationships or professional performance, we need to start with the mind. The mind is the forerunner for anything else. This was relevant 2500 years ago at Buddha Shakyamunis time. In the busy corporations all over the world, today, this wisdom is just as relevant – if not more. We are all sentient being with a samsaric mind and if we want to have better lives we need to work on the root causes.

The potential of our mind

Neurologists have found that our brain is changing every second. It takes shape according to how we think, speak and act. This means that we are basically potential. By training the mind we can shape our character, behaviour and increase our capabilities. In many ways there are similarities between neurologist’s explanation of the neural networks of our brain, and the Buddhist understanding of our inherent Buddha nature. They are both saying that we are basically potential; potential that we can shape and give different directions. We can change ourselves and become angrier if we want. We can also train to become more kind. We are not determined, but free. We are all potential within certain limitations.

The Buddhist Dharma in corporate life

Buddhism is often referred to as a toolbox with remedies for any mental challenge in life; from overcoming depression to attaining enlightenment. Also, Buddhism is meant for being applied in all aspects of life. Not only in caves, monasteries and Dharma centres, but in any activity we do; from childhood to death and from morning to evening (and preferably also during night). Nowadays we all spent a great many hours of our life at work. In many cases with stress, fear and conflicts due to the high pressure.

The Dharma can provide the tools to train the mind to overcome these difficulties. Learning to become more focused and efficient is one way. To train in compassion is another. To develop a mind of wisdom seeing that phenomena, others and oneself is not as solid as we thought is a third. The corporate world is starting to wake up to understand the individual as well as organizational benefits of these methods.

But be careful …

Mindfulness has spread widely in the western world for the last decades. In this transition process adaption’s have been made. In many contexts the tradition has been simplified or even made superficial. There is a tendency to present a light version of mindfulness where it is more or less defined as “bare attention,” or the moment-to-moment, nonjudgmental awareness of whatever arises in the present moment. There is a risk that mindfulness is reduced to a kind of therapy to make life (samsara) more enjoyable, rather than a system of theory and practice designed to liberate us completely including destroying all mental afflictions. If mindfulness is only seen as a method to make life more enjoyable it has serious implications on how it is taught and thereby the results of the practice.

The Potential Project does not support the simplified understanding of mindfulness as “bare attention” and aims at influencing the general understanding of the practice in the western world by presenting mindfulness closer to as it is taught in the oldest and most authoritative texts.

In the following pages it is explained how the Potential Project defines mindfulness and how it presents it.

Introducing the Potential Project

The Potential Project is an international training organization that offer mind training programs to employees and executives in larger corporations all over the world. The root source of the training programs are Buddhist philosophy and methods – but presented in a purely scientific context of neurology and cognitive science.

Mind training programs

The primary program of the Potential Project is Corporate-Based Mindfulness Training (CBMT). CBMT is a 4 month in-house training program designed for busy people in corporations. CBMT has been facilitated with great results in General Electric, Sony Corporation and a number of banks, insurance companies and other large corporations.

In a few years Potential Project will launch the second training program called Corporate-Based Compassion Training (CBCT) and after that Corporate-Based Insight Training (CBIT) will be introduced. In total the three programs will cover what Lama Tsong Khapa called “The Three Principal Aspects og the Path”, Renunciation, Bodhichitta and Emptiness. Thus the full Buddhist path taught and trained to people not interested in religion.

Mission and vision

The mission of the Potential Project is to benefit the participants in the programs with tools to live more happy, wise and compassionate lives. The profit of the organization is donated to mind training charities, social charities and environmental charities.

The vision is to develop a global training organization that operates in all countries in order to offer these valuable methods to any corporation that requires it.

Corporate-Based Mindfulness Training (CBMT)

The Potential Projects Corporate-Based Mindfulness Training program is a program that has tailored the precious discipline of mindfulness training (Shamatha and Vipassana) to the challenges and demands of a busy work life. Its backbone is the A-B-C-D (Anatomy – Breathing – Counting – Distractions) presentation of Shamatha. The participants do formal 10 minutes sessions once or more times per day. Furthermore there is a strong emphasis on informal training through seven work life themes.

The layout of the program

The program starts with a 3 hours introduction to mindfulness, the neurological basis of the training and some of the scientific research that has been conducted on mindfulness training. The introduction is followed by 8 weekly training sessions where eight attitudes and 7 work life applications are introduced.

The program includes the training of 3 -4 internal ambassadors from the client´s side who will continue the Mindfulness Training in the organization once our program has ended. The ambassadors will receive practical and theoretic instructions as well as additional relevant literature on how to continue the Mindfulness Training without The Potential Project. Furthermore there is the possibility for telephone coaching and guidance from TPP whenever that is needed.

It is requested that for the whole duration of the program the client reserves a minimum of 10 minutes per day to enable all employees to participate in daily trainings which will be conducted by the internal ambassadors. The positive effects that these common trainings have on cultural change and stress prevention within a whole department cannot be overstated.It is thus also strongly recommended to continue the common Mindfulness Training sessions after the program has ended.

All participants can receive individual coaching & guidance to Mindfulness Training if requested. This can either be done by phone or at the clients´ premises.

All participants receives a 20-pages Mindfulness manual, a CD with guided Mindfulness Training sessions of varying duration, a personal Mindfulness logbookand a set of CBMT training cards. Ambassadors will receive further material to support them in their task.

Potential Project offers an evaluation of the results after the program has ended. If an external evaluation is requested by the client a scientifically sound test can be offered in cooperation with the Neurobiological Research Unit of Stateshospital in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The best results are achieved with a group size of not more than 30 participants. The number of participants can be increased. This, however, is not recommended as it may reduce individual benefits.

Results of the CBMT implementation program

The outcomes of the 4 month CBMT program have been quite remarkable in relation to stress, life quality, productivity, efficiency, sleep quality and social relations. Below chart shows some of the effect an external evaluation company has reported.

Neuro-Biological Research Unit from University Hospital of Denmark is currently conducting research on the outcomes for the participants of a 4 month program. The preliminary results are significant. Also Danish National Television is currently producing a documentary on a 4 month program.

What clients say…

Results can best be measured at how people experience changes in their lives. Below are a few comments on how different people have experienced the training program.

Halldor Machholm, Head of Risk Management, IF Insurance:

“The results of the CBMT© program showed immediate benefits. After only four weeks, a big difference could be seen within the organizational teams. All participants reported improved ability to focus, increased productivity, better cooperation and less stress.”

Roy White, Vice President, Sony Business Europe, September 2009:

The Potential Project provide a number of tools that enable us to put things in perspective and to avoid some of these misunderstandings by viewing things positively rather than negatively. I think these type of tools can play a big role in helping individuals and organisations manage the increasing pressures that we all face."

Marianne Gaulhet-Dureau, HR General Electric HealthcareFrance, April 2010:

I really must say. This new way saved my month of March. … People usually ask me how I can cope with so many things at once, and until I had your first mindfulness session, I had never realised how much I actually was not satisfied of the accomplishments. As I read from one of your emails: I was brain-dead and tired. … The mindful breaks have been useful in days where I rush from one meeting to another. Helps clear the mind and refocus on the next activity. … Finally my main accomplishment so far is with my kids: they immediately bought into the “1 thing only at a time!” They are my Mindfulness conscience now! Thank you!

Pache Pladevall, Managing Director, Wolkswagen Audi Spain, January 2010:

"It is a privilege and an enormous opportunity to learn about how our mind works. But it is even more important to learn how to be present and conscious of our never stopping flow of thoughts.These learning's allow me to live happier with myself, keep better peace of mind and successfully cope with my demanding professional life.The people of The Potential Project show a very high level of expertise on each of the subjects of the program as well as on the methodology that helps you achieve the objectives."

Ester Bang, Account Manager, IF insurance, December 2009:

“I am very busy and have always looked for a tool that could help me live a more balanced life. I used Steven Coveys books on the 7 habits, and other tools, but I always had the feeling that it did not go to the root. Now, after 8 weeks of the mindfulness programme I have no doubt that I have found what I was always looking for. I have never had as clear a mental separation between my private life and working life as now. That adds a lot of extra energy to both.”