Marc Lesser and the Seven Practices of a Mindful Leader: Lessons from Google and a Zen Monastery Kitchen
Today, we face so many challenging paradoxes on our individual, and collective, Hero’s Journey. Being spiritual beings in a complex physical reality can be daunting even in the best of times. So Marc Lesser, the Zen Guy, who has an MBA from NYU, Cofounder of the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute and was the CEO of three successful companies, has stepped up to be our guide with lessons from his life, Google, the Tassajara Kitchen and a contemplative practice for much more than inner peace.
Trying to make sense of his father’s manic depression and understand the complex workings of our minds. Marc realized he’d been asleep in many regards, and he desired to wake up. He was inspired by Maslow’s idea that one could develop oneself to be highly self aware, emotionally intelligent, joyful and feel the full spectrum of emotions. And he set off on his Hero’s Journey to live a more conscious, authentic and evolved life.
It can be uncomfortable to recognize that our values and aspirations are not in alignment with the way we are living and that we are not realizing our full potential. We can look away, pretend, defy or we can pay attention and develop an even greater level of self-awareness and success. “In every moment you are choosing.” Marc believes, “Learning to look directly at what is, as much as possible, even when we don’t want to, is a powerful skill that challenges us, changes us and transforms our lives.”