From Business to Being – Mindfulness as a New Success Factor for Companies
Why Mindfulness Is Becoming Increasingly Important in Organizations
Mindfulness is far more than just a trend. In trade journals, online platforms, and management circles, it is increasingly being recognized as an effective tool for stress management – especially for leaders and employees in dynamic organizations. It’s no surprise, given the rising demands of today’s working world: workload, speed, and pressure for flexibility continue to grow.
Constant availability via smartphone, overflowing email inboxes, and tightly packed calendars push many people to their limits. The attempt to be more productive through multitasking often ends in the opposite: mental overload, confusion, and eventually chronic stress – leading even the most enthusiastic employees into burnout.
Documentary as a Mirror of Work Reality: "From Business to Being"
With the film “From Business to Being”, directors Hanna Henigin and Julian Wildgruber offer a powerful look into the world of stressed managers – and ways to escape the overwhelm. Three executives openly share the pressure of their professional lives, their experiences with burnout, and their journey into mindfulness.
One viewer commented after the premiere at DOK.fest Munich 2015: “This film really gets under your skin!” – and it quickly became an audience favorite.
Mindfulness as a Remedy for Stress – and More
The growing popularity of mindfulness meditation could be, according to futurist Matthias Horx, exactly what society needs: “The saving grace” in the face of increasing mental strain. In his Future Report 2016, he describes mindfulness as a megatrend that will shape culture for years to come.
A key figure is Jon Kabat-Zinn, whose program “Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)” helped introduce mindfulness to the Western world. In the film, he shows how health, job satisfaction, and performance can all improve when people practice being present from moment to moment.
Compassion and Awareness as the Foundation for a New Organizational Culture
Prof. Tanja Singer, a renowned neuropsychologist, also appears in the film. Her research on compassion training demonstrates how organizational culture can evolve – when leaders and teams are willing to develop their own awareness.
A practical example is provided by Götz W. Werner, founder of dm-drogerie markt, together with his successor Erich Harsch. Both powerfully demonstrate how conscious leadership can become the foundation for an innovative corporate culture.
Conclusion: From Functioning to Conscious Being
“From Business to Being” impressively shows how the shift from a stress-driven way of working toward greater purpose, awareness, and inner balance can succeed. The film offers impulses that inspire new ways of thinking – for individuals and organizations alike.
