January 16, 2019
Public Talk, Book Signing, and Workshop with Marc Lesser — Seven Practices of a Mindful Leader

Lessons from Google and a Zen Monastery Kitchen

Saturday, April 27

Public talk: 10 – 11 am (free)
Book signing and Q&A: 11:10 am – 12 pm (free)
Afternoon Workshop: 1 – 4:30 pm

Workshop fee: $60; $54 current SFZC members; $48 limited income. Registration is required — visit the web page for more info.

Marc Lesser’s new book, Seven Practices of a Mindful Leader: Lessons from Google and a Zen Monastery Kitchen, draws on a lifetime of integrating mindfulness practice, business, and leadership. The book evolved largely from Marc’s work helping to create and lead “Search Inside Yourself,” the mindfulness-based emotional intelligence program that originated at Google, and ultimately led to the foundation of the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute, which Marc co-founded and led as CEO for five years. It also builds on his experiences as a Zen teacher at San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC), particularly his time as head cook and director at Tassajara, Zen Mountain Center, the first Zen monastery in the western world.

Join Marc at SFZC for a free author talk, Q&A, and book signing on Saturday morning, April 27, beginning at 10:00 am. In his talk, Marc will cover the seven simple yet profound practices from his new book that support conscious, compassionate leadership. While these principles can be applied to leadership at any level, they’re also relevant for anyone wanting to build the inner strengths necessary to meet and shift the personal, professional, and global challenges we all face.

The talk and Q&A will be followed by an afternoon workshop, 1 – 4:30 pm, where participants will learn how the inner work of mindfulness and self-awareness meets the outer work of leadership and business as forces for positive change and results that matter.

In this highly-interactive workshop, Marc will go deeper into each of the seven practices, which are:

  1. Love the work
  2. Do the work
  3. Don’t be an expert
  4. Connect to your pain
  5. Connect to the pain of others
  6. Depend on others
  7. Keep making it simpler

Embracing any one of the seven practices alone can be life-changing. When used together, they support a path of well-being, productivity, and positive influence. After attending this workshop, you’ll understand why some of the world’s most successful companies routinely incorporate the seven practices of mindful leadership, integrating mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and business savvy, to create great corporate cultures, and even a better world.

Presenter Information

Marc Lesser founded and was CEO of three companies, is author of four books, and has an MBA degree from New York University. His latest book, Seven Practices of a Mindful Leader: Lessons from Google and a Zen Monastery Kitchen, evolved out of his work helping to create Search Inside Yourself, a mindfulness-based emotional intelligence program at Google. Prior to his business and coaching career, Marc was a resident of the San Francisco Zen Center for ten years, including director of Tassajara, Zen Mountain Center, the first Zen monastery in the western world.

He has keynoted at Mindful Leadership Summits in Washington DC, Toronto, and Sydney and has led “Search Inside Yourself” two-day trainings in San Francisco, Japan, Hong Kong, and Toronto. www.marclesser.net