A groundbreaking path to professional communication and success that melds essential concepts previously considered incompatible -- compassion and accountability <p/>Marc Lesser took a long, winding road to his current work as an in-demand mindful leadership trainer to companies, teams, and cultures of varied stripes. Lesser sometimes describes himself as a "stealth Zen teacher working in the business world." He did indeed live at and eventually direct the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. He also earned an MBA from New York University Business School and founded and was CEO of three companies, including Brush Dance, one of the first companies in the world to make products from recycled paper. Through all these endeavors, he crafted the practical, innovative practices of "compassionate accountability" that he here elucidates. <p/>He defines accountability as not just living up to obligations and responsibilities but also seeing clearly, staying focused on facts, and telling the truth, no matter what. Accountability should not be harsh or judgmental. Rather -- because clarity demands empathy for others -- it should breed communal, collective, effective effort toward common goals. Numerous examples address: <p/>- facing rather than avoiding conflict for the long-term benefit of all
- working with and through difficult emotions with clarity, care, and connection
- practicing compassion toward others as well as oneself
- understanding the stories we live by and evaluating their contemporary relevance -- or irrelevance
- learning to listen and lead in ways that align with one's mission and values with a focus on more meaning, connection, and clarity
- turning communication breakdowns into breakthroughs that foster win-win results for all <p/>Lesser's writing and teaching style is eminently engaging. He works from the premise that problems are inevitable and that the success of any enterprise or relationship is not the absence of such problems but the manner in which they are resolved. This applies to any joint effort -- in a workplace, a family, a civic organization, a community, a country, or the world at large. <p/>
Marc Lesser is a speaker, facilitator, workshop leader, and executive coach. He is known for his engaging, experiential presentations that integrate mindfulness and emotional intelligence practices and training. He is the author of four books, including
Seven Practices of a Mindful Leader: Lessons from Google and a Zen Monastery Kitchen, and CEO of ZBA Associates, an executive development and leadership consulting company. Marc helped develop the world-renowned Search Inside Yourself (SIY) program within Google -- a mindfulness-based emotional intelligence training for leaders that teaches the art of integrating mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and business savvy for creating great corporate cultures and a better world. He founded and was CEO of three companies and has an MBA from New York University. Marc was a resident of the San Francisco Zen Center for ten years and director of Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, the oldest Zen monastery in the Western world. He lives in Marin County, California, and leads Mill Valley Zen, a weekly meditation group. <p/> MarcLesser.net
