Advanced Mindful Leadership Training: Course Summary 
    Mindful Leadership is based in developing self-awareness and in cultivating self-regulation skills in order to be 
    able to lead others most effectively.  Being a mindful leader also requires understanding others’ perspectives, 
    communicating effectively, and inspiring others.  This course is based on the evidence-backed “gold standard” 
    for mindfulness training: the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) curriculum, developed by Dr. 
    Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979 and now taught in every U.S. state and more than 30 countries.  
    This course will help participants further develop their leadership skills by building on their prior mindfulness 
    experience through participation in discussions and experiential activities during the classes and in practicing 
    these skills between classes.  To gain the most from this course, devoting 30-45 minutes a day to the 
    homework practices is recommended. 
    Each session will address specific UVA Leadership Competencies, which are based on the Korn Ferry 
    Leadership Architect™, a research-based global competency framework.  In addition, the competencies of 
    Demonstrates Self-Awareness and Self-Development will be addressed in every class.   
    Class 1: Introduction to Advanced Mindful Leadership 
      In this initial session, we will review the theoretical underpinnings of mind-body relationships, define mindful 
      awareness, and introduce self-regulatory skills.  
      The principal UVA Leadership Competencies which will be addressed are: Courage, Being Resilient and 
      Instills Trust. 
    Class 2: Cultivating Awareness: Perception and the Neuroscience of Attention 
      Understanding perception and cultivating awareness are necessary to be able to understand our biases and 
      how they can affect both our reactions and actions.  Leaders need to be able to see clearly so they can 
      manage themselves and others optimally.   
      The principal UVA Leadership Competencies which will be addressed are: Nimble Learning, Manages 
      Ambiguity, and Decision Quality 
    Class 3:  Recognizing Beliefs: Self-Narratives and the Labeling of Experience 
      How we see the world is influenced by our beliefs, some of which we may not even consciously recognize.  
      Since these can influence our actions, bringing mindful awareness to them so that we can skillfully choose 
      what we do is crucial to being an effective leader.  
      The principal UVA Leadership Competencies which will be addressed are: Situational Adaptability, 
      Manages Ambiguity and Courage. 
    Class 4:  Managing Difficult Situations Effectively: 1. The Physiology and Psychology of 
    Stress Reactivity 
      Effective leaders need to be able to manage stressful situations appropriately, and often have to do this on 
      a regular basis.  Mindfulness can help leaders work with, reduce and recover more quickly from stressful 
           situations. Understanding the physiological and psychological bases of stress reactivity and the role of 
           mindfulness can help cultivate these skills. 
           The principal UVA Leadership Competencies which will be addressed are: Decision Quality, Courage and 
           Situational Adaptability 
       Class 5: Managing Difficult Situations Effectively: 2. Responding with Skill  
           Recognizing how individuals react to stressful situations can help leaders guide more effective responses 
           for themselves and others.  Mindfulness is a way of being aware of stress and conditioned ways of reacting 
           and can allow for greater choice and more skillful responses.  
           Principal UVA Leadership Competencies which will be addressed are: Interpersonal Savvy, Values 
           Difference and Being Resilient 
       Class 6: Communicating Mindfully:  Understanding the Psychology of Human 
       Interactions 
           Communicating effectively is crucial for being a mindful leader.  There are communication skills that can be 
           learned which combine mindfulness with lessons from interpersonal psychology that have the potential to 
           greatly enhance the ability to understand why some interactions seem so challenging, and to address them 
           more productively.  
           Principal UVA Leadership Competencies which will be addressed are: Communicates Effectively, 
           Interpersonal Savvy, and Manages Conflict  
       Half-Day Retreat 
           Cultivating a sense of presence from moment to moment and being open to any experience which arises 
           are crucial skills for leaders so that they can respond most effectively to challenges.  Longer periods of 
           practice can help facilitate effectively establishing the use of mindfulness across multiple situations faced 
           by leaders.  
           The principal UVA Leadership Competencies which will be addressed are: Being Resilient, Courage and 
           Situational Adaptability 
       Class 7: Cultivating Positive Emotions: Enhancing Individual and Group Well-being and 
       Performance 
           What we pay attention to as individuals matters, and this is especially true for leaders.  Humans have an 
           inherent negativity bias.  This influences both cognitive and emotional processes and can affect wellbeing 
           and behavior.  Being aware of these factors and understanding their influence is important to being able to 
           foster the best in both ourselves and in those we lead. 
           Principal UVA Leadership Competencies which will be addressed are: Builds Effective Teams, Builds Trust, 
           and Drives Engagement 
       Class 8: Putting It All Together:  Developing a Personal Plan for Being a Mindful Leader 
           Developing a plan with realistic, achievable goals is important to facilitating desired personal changes.  This 
           session will provide an opportunity to reflect on what has been most helpful, on how to apply this both 
           personally and professionally, and on ways to continue to develop. 
           Principal UVA Leadership Competencies which will be addressed are: Demonstrates Self-Awareness and 
           Self-Development 
        Advanced Mindful Leadership Training Course Summary                                              Page 2