In a complex world where leaders need to be self-aware, agile, and responsive, mindfulness is a key leadership skill. Mindfulness—the art of being present and fully engaged with the moment—strengthens leadership and the capacity to collaborate both individuals and teams, enhancing focus, emotional awareness, and overall productivity. Being present in each present moment equips us to navigate change and manage conflict.

Mindfulness for Individual Practice

Starting your day mindfully can support your performance and well-being. Here are some practical tips to incorporate mindfulness into your daily work routine:

• Begin with a moment of gratitude: As soon as you wake up, instead of reaching for technology, start your day by taking a deep breath, expressing gratitude, engaging in a brief meditation, listening to soothing music, or stepping outside to connect with nature.
• Single-tasking Over Multitasking: Focus on doing one thing at a time. This not only improves the quality of your work but also reduces stress levels. Our brains are not really designed to “multitask” and even though it feels like we’re being productive, we’re really just misusing energy and focus, which is fatiguing and keeps us from succeeding where we’re needed.
• Manage Media Consumption: Be selective about the information you consume. Thousands of possible news items, video clips, and notifications are available at our fingertips, but letting media keep our brains distracted and “alert” creates unnecessary stress. Choose when you want to get your news and alerts, and curate accordingly. Pause Before Responding: Take six seconds before responding to emails or queries. This brief pause can lead to more thoughtful and less reactive responses. In a stressful situation, you are just a few deep breaths away from feeling more calm and better able to engage successfully. Give yourself that moment.
• Cultivate Kindness Towards Yourself: Encourage a compassionate inner voice; be as kind to yourself as you would be to a dear friend. The way we speak to ourselves is powerful and can either help equip us for success or erode our sense of purpose and work with others.
• Be Prepared for Stress: Regularly check in with yourself by asking, “How am I feeling?” and “What do I need?” These simple questions have the power to connect you to your experience and prepare you with what you need in every situation. This can help you manage stress more effectively.
• Embrace New Experiences: When you’re working, leading, and communicating day in and day out, your brain can feel tired or overwhelmed. Seeing, hearing, eating, or doing new things gives us resources to see things in new ways and tap into inspiration. Give yourself “recess” or a “field trip” when you begin to see the signs of burn-out.
• Mindful Meetings: Implement an invitation to meet without any screens during meetings to ensure full attention and presence. If this is especially difficult for you or a team, start small: make one meeting a week or the first 20 minutes screen-free to practice single-focus and being present for one another.
• Create a Self-Care Toolkit: Have a personal toolkit for self-care ready for times when you need to boost your well-being. Practice healthier routines (movement, good sleep, journaling, gardening, mindful practices) when you’re experiencing less stress so you’re equipped to use them successfully in times of high stress.
• Avoid Eating at Your Desk: Separate your meal times from your work tasks to help you relax and enjoy your food. Shifting where you sit and how you encounter food, work, rest, and your personal life also signals to your brain that it’s time to rest, nourish, or get ready to work again.

Mindfulness helps us build awareness and better focus, enabling them to manage our emotions and reactions more effectively. It fosters a productive and emotionally intelligent workplace environment, which is crucial for high performance and job satisfaction.

Mindfulness for Teams and Leaders

Leaders and teams can also benefit from mindfulness practices. Here are some tips for integrating mindfulness at a group level:

• Discourage the ‘Busy’ Badge of Honor: Avoid glorifying being busy as a status symbol. Instead, promote a culture where quality of work and well-being are valued.
• Encourage Regular Breaks: Short breaks, particularly outdoors, can rejuvenate the mind and body. In years past, workplaces allowed “smoke breaks”–consider “fresh air” breaks or take short meetings outside.
• Promote Healthy Practices: Discuss and model healthy practices such as adequate sleep, proper boundaries, and effective use of personal time off (PTO).
• Incorporate Pauses in Meetings: Use moments of pause, especially during changes or challenges, to allow team members to reflect and respond thoughtfully. Remember that most adults need a few moments of processing time before answering questions, generating new ideas, or making connections. Adding time for pause or reflection helps people share high quality ideas and build collaboration and synthesis.
• Start Meetings Mindfully: Begin with a minute of silence or deep breathing to help everyone center and focus. Getting our brains and bodies ready to work makes the most of the time we have together.

For teams, mindfulness enhances cooperation, communication, and empathy among members. It is a key ingredient for workplaces that respect personal boundaries and encourage productive interactions. By adopting these mindfulness techniques, individuals and teams can achieve greater focus, better stress management, and a more harmonious workplace. When we understand ourselves, and can manage stress and conflict, we bring our brightest ideas and best energy to work and collaboration.

Mindfulness is at the heart of the Claremont Core® at Claremont Lincoln University. Developed as a unique educational framework, the Claremont Core® is a sequence of four domains dedicated to Mindfulness, Dialogue, Collaboration, and Change. These transferable, transformative leadership skills benefit leaders in any setting. The Claremont Core® courses and concepts lead students through a process of self-awareness and steadily evolves towards engagement with others and society at large. Change is inevitable, but with the Claremont Core ® leaders can be responsive and leverage their strengths to respond to the world’s intractable challenges.

You can learn more about Claremont Lincoln University’s affordable, accessible online degree programs and certificates to advance your leadership skills and become a compassionate leader. Download our comprehensive PDF one-sheet, which summarizes the best tips and tools for individual and team mindfulness in the workplace.

Read/download CLU’s “Mindfulness in the Workplace for Teams and Leaders” (PDF)>

Read/download CLU’s “Mindfulness in the Workplace for Individuals” (PDF)>

Claremont Lincoln University is a non-profit university offering affordable online degrees, graduate certificates, and professional development programs. Through a socially conscious education framework, CLU’s mission is to create a new leadership ecosystem through its proprietary Claremont Core®, a distinctive model that encompasses the knowledge needed to become an effective leader of positive change in the workplace or community. CLU is regionally accredited by the highly regarded WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), which ensures institutions meet strict standards and fulfill their missions to serve their students and the public good. Degree programs at CLU focus on healthcare administration, human resources, organizational leadership, management, professional studies, public administration, social impact, and sustainability leadership.

Claremont Lincoln University is the university of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, a non-profit global thought leader solving social, environmental, and economic challenges. Together, we are mobilizing leaders worldwide to tackle the most pressing climate, land, water, finance, housing, infrastructure, and other issues.

June 7, 2024

Position Title: Logistics and Events Manager
Department: Office of the President
Reports to: President & CEO
Status: Full-time/Salaried

ABOUT CLAREMONT LINCOLN UNIVERSITY

VISION: A world transformed by ethical leaders and engaged communities.
MISSION: Claremont Lincoln University unlocks the potential of current and future leaders who seek to address significant social, economic, and environmental challenges.
VALUES:

Excellence in Education and Student Success – By fiercely supporting student success, we pioneer the future of learning and leadership. To promote excellence in teaching and learning, we champion scholar-practitioner expertise as vital to the effectiveness of our Claremont Core® and programs. Through our commitment to highly engaging curricula and teaching, we ensure that active learners become transformative leaders.

Catalysts for Change – Committing to innovative thinking about the purposes and practices of learning, we champion our mission and educate for change, focusing on action and impact. Responding to current and future challenges, we embrace new ideas and novel solutions to transform the world through ethical leaders and engaged communities.

Ethical & Responsible – Through mutual accountability and ownership, we educate and lead with ethics, integrity, and sustainable business practices. Dedicated to academic integrity and equity, we foster measured, reasonable, and intentional dialogue and collaboration.

Diversity and Inclusion – To sustain CLU’s distinctiveness, we cultivate a culture of inquiry, inclusion, and trust for robust dialogue and lasting collaboration. By valuing different perspectives, we encourage rich and expansive engagement that leads to creative, collective outcomes.

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

Reporting to the President & CEO, the Logistics and Events Manager organizes, maintains, and manages inventory and deployment of university equipment, materials, gifts, and store items. The manager also plans, organizes, and executes a wide range of university and partner events. The successful candidate will work closely with various CLU departments, team members from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy (LILP), external vendors and partners, and stakeholders to ensure the smooth execution of materials, equipment, and events that enhance CLU’s engagement and community outreach.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Responsibilities:

All responsibilities are presumed to reflect the effective implementation of best practices. Technology will be leveraged as an enabler whenever practical.  Internal controls will be installed to ensure that all activities comply with acknowledged standards of fiduciary due care, non-conflicts of interest and confidentiality.

Event Planning and Management:

• Provide support for both hosted and attended conferences.
• Coordinate all aspects of event planning, including budgeting, logistics, scheduling, and vendor management.
• Develop detailed event plans, timelines, and checklists.
• Manage schedules across events, meetings, and conferences.
• Develop and manage event budgets, ensuring events are cost-effective and within financial constraints.
• Track expenses, process invoices, and ensure timely payment to vendors, partners, and service providers, working closely with the business office and accounts payable.
• Ensure all events comply with CLU policies, safety regulations, and legal requirements.

Collaboration and Communication:

• Collaborate with staff, faculty, and external partners to understand event requirements and objectives.
• Coordinate with conference organizers and manage all staffing requirements.
• Maintain effective communication with all stakeholders through the event planning and execution process with a high level of professionalism and discernment.
• Manage the CLU/LILP speaker’s bureau, including database of bios, speaking topics, headshots, etc.
• Prepare and distribute event communications as needed, including invitations, promotional materials, and post-event surveys.

Logistics Coordination:

• Arrange for event venues, catering, audit-visual equipment, transportation, and accommodation as needed.
• Coordinate event set-up and teardown, ensuring all logistics are handled efficiently.
• Manage event registration, guestlists, and seating arrangements.

Inventory Management:

• Manage inventory of event supplies and materials, including implementing a system for organization and storage of tradeshow supplies, collateral materials, and promotional giveaways.
• Coordinate shipping and tracking of event supplies and materials needed at off-site events.
• Research and recommend ideas for event giveaways with consideration given to the event audience and budget.

Miscellaneous:

• Support the President & CEO with initiatives and execution of the Strategic Plan on an as needed basis.
• Contribute to a collaborative, team culture with the President & CEO and with colleagues across departments.
• Be a thought partner, collaborator, and resource to the department, leadership, and staff.

Working Conditions:

• This position requires the ability to lift 40 lbs and transport materials to designated FedEx, UPS, USPS, and local locations.
• This position is full-time and hybrid, requiring you to work in-office at the Claremont, CA building one or more days per week as scheduled and needed. The in-office days will be determined by events and may not be consistent week to week.
• This position may require travel for off-site event support.
• All remote employees will be provided with the necessary technology and tools to connect and collaborate effectively with their teams.
• The role involves regular interaction with internal and external stakeholders in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• CLU maintains a vibrant university culture with frequent virtual engagement and collaboration; video conferencing will be a daily, integral part of the communication strategy.

Compensation:    $65,000 – $80,000, commensurate with experience

CLU Benefits

Benefits highlights include but are not limited to (a) 3x employer contribution towards retirement matching your employee contribution up to 15%, (b) health insurance, (c) dental insurance, (d) vision insurance, I 100% reimbursement of the health care deductible through a health reimbursement account, (f) short-term disability coverage, (g) long term disability coverage, (h) paid parental leave, (i) voluntary insurances such as accident insurance, (j) health care flexible spending, (k) dependent care flexible spending, (l) paid time off for holidays, vacation, personal, sick, bereavement, and jury duty, (m) office closure between December 24 – Jan 1 each calendar year,(n) tuition and staff development reimbursement, and (o) Employee Assistance Program.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Minimum five years of work experience preferred, preferably in inventory and mailroom management, event management, project management, executive administration, and/or hospitality.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• A superior sense of self-direction, deadline-driven, detail-oriented, flexible, and well-organized.
• Strong data management skills, including maintaining records of communications.
• Ability to work quickly without errors and with meticulous attention to detail.
• High standards for quality, presentation, and professionalism.
• High degree of software literacy; experience with Microsoft Office Suite; Google Suite; Asana; Zoom preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, problem solve and manage multiple tasks concurrently.
• Superior time management skills with the ability to plan, set expectations, and accomplish objectives within specific timeframes.
• Experience in high-stress, fast-paced jobs.
• High resourcefulness with ability to thrive in an entrepreneurial environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and demonstrated ability to communicate effectively across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Ability to work well with teams and take direction from multiple sources.
• Positive attitude, excellent interpersonal skills, and the ability to work cooperatively with others in a team-oriented work environment.
• Ability to facilitate teams.
• Must be passionate about the mission of CLU and LILP.
• Must be able to lift 40 lbs and have reliable means to transport materials and equipment locally.

Claremont Lincoln University is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from all qualified individuals.

For inquiries or to request more information, contact our Enrollment Team at admission@claremontlincoln.edu or call (909) 667-4400.

View the program flipbook here.

Master’s in Organizational Leadership vs. an MBA

This student post was written by M.A. Organizational Leadership alumnus, Sami Hoda, about why he chose a Master’s in Organizational Leadership vs. an MBA. Please see author bio at the end of post.

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Why did I choose a Master’s in Organizational Leadership vs. an MBA? Not all graduate degrees are created equal. The illustrious MBA, once the king of graduate degrees, no longer holds the sway it once did. I spent the last decade planning and reviewing graduate programs, and as a hiring manager, I was cognizant of the changing landscape for advanced degrees.

Why the MBA Is Not What It Once Was

According to the Economist.com, the number of MBAs has increased seven times since 1970 and with the proliferation of MBA programs, having an MBA is no longer a differentiator. To make matters worse, recent surveys by the Graduate Management Admission Council showed that nearly a quarter of graduates stated “that their course did not improve their earning power.”

Having an MBA from an elite school was still attractive to many employers but its reputation took a big hit with the Great Recession, when a lot of soul searching went on in the business community about how the current state of business education may have contributed to the financial crisis.

What’s Missing From a Traditional MBA?

I watched closely how programs adapted to the changing climate, and a traditional MBA started to stick out like a sore thumb, especially since ethics was missing from so many curriculums. At the same time, Fortune 500 companies, such as Google, started to turn away many MBA graduates because they lacked “intellectual humility.”

How I Found the Right Program For Me

As I filtered through the list of programs, I looked for three things:

1. a good reputation,
2. a focus on understanding both the direct and indirect impacts of decision making, especially with a focus on ethics and mindfulness, and
3. a program that was financially viable and flexible for me as a working professional with four kids.

Every time I remade my list, Claremont Lincoln University (CLU) would rank in my top five. Eventually, in mid-2016, I reached out to my top five choices, and attended online seminars to get familiar with their philosophical approaches and faculty. I clearly remember attending an online seminar for a famous well-regarded university and watching as my hopes were dashed when the online seminar was sloppy and my email was one of many that got canned replies. CLU stood out because of their professional seminar and personalized responses.

What really differentiated CLU was the Capstone project which ensured that the learning was not going to be theoretical in nature, but rather the student would have to lead a change project that implemented a lot of what they were learning. It wasn’t much longer before I started working with the admissions department to get my application in. As someone who had led online courses for several years, I knew that online learning was not going to be a walk in the park. I was facing several challenges as I enrolled in the Master’s in Organizational Leadership program. My wife was due to give birth to our fourth child, and I was also wrapping up several advanced diplomas in religious studies on the side.

As I proceeded through the Organizational Leadership master’s degree program, the faculty and staff assisted me with any flexibility I needed while still holding me accountable for my work, and it was greatly appreciated. I even received a personalized gift from the support staff after the birth of our fourth child. With these experiences, I knew I had made the right choice.

Common Questions About Online Education

As a graduate of the program, I speak to a lot of people who share many of my concerns:

1. Is it worth it?
2. How can I afford it?
3. How can I manage my time?

Let’s take those questions one at a time.

First, ‘Is it worth it?”

In a word – Yes! I applied my classes and capstone project to my own work environment.

In the process, I uncovered several areas for improvement, and I worked with multiple stakeholders to improve the way our business communicated and created alignment.

Next, “How can I afford it?”

Regarding finances, CLU offers tuition that stands in sharp contrast to the rising tuition costs we hear in the news, especially for graduate degrees, and they offer numerous scholarships and a payment plan that is very flexible.

And finally, let’s talk about time management. The classes, while time consuming, are evenly paced and assignments are staggered so that no one course overwhelms you in any given week.

So What Did I Get Out of It?

All in all, I am better equipped to be an agent of positive change. I have found ways to use my education in my current work environment and in the volunteer work I do in education and with non-profits.

The approach to research and focus on hands-on implementation has made the learning actionable, and I feel I have new tools to make a deeper impact in every sphere of my life.

Sami Hoda completed his Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership in 2017. He is currently employed by Amazon Web Services as the Senior Solutions Architect, Growth, Partnerships, and Strategy (GPS), Worldwide Public Sector. More information can be found on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/samihoda).

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Claremont Lincoln University is a non-profit university offering affordable online degrees, graduate certificates, and professional development programs. Through a socially conscious education framework, CLU’s mission is to create a new leadership ecosystem through its proprietary Claremont Core®, a distinctive model that encompasses the knowledge needed to become an effective leader of positive change in the workplace or community. CLU is regionally accredited by the highly regarded WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), which ensures institutions meet strict standards and fulfill their missions to serve their students and the public good. Degree programs at CLU focus on healthcare administration, human resources, organizational leadership, management, professional studies, public administration, social impact, and sustainability leadership.

Claremont Lincoln University is the university of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, a non-profit global thought leader solving social, environmental, and economic challenges. Together, we are mobilizing leaders worldwide to tackle the most pressing climate, land, water, finance, housing, infrastructure, and other issues.