I believe people are the wealth of an organisation and to improve that wealth organisations need to recognise develop everyone as a leader.Having reflected on my own life and leadership experiences, I’ve integrated both a mindfulness awareness and compassion motivation based approach to relationships with a thorough approach to achieving results.My business experience ranges from leading large scale infrastructure projects to leading strategic organisational change programmes. Since leaving the corporate world as Managing Director of Aberdeen Airport I’ve become an experienced leadership development coach and corporate facilitator.
As a professional leadership development coach (and owner of On Purpose Ltd) I’m extremely well placed to guide and enable leaders, teams and organisations to be great. I also give time to sharing my experience within the Business Mentoring Scotland Scheme, as a non-exec director of Grampian Housing Association and as a director of the Mindfulness Association Ltd. And am an honoury exec fellow within the University of Aberdeen’s business school.
Rob Nairn is one of the world pioneers in presenting Buddhist philosophy and practice in a way that is accessible to the Western mind. In 1980 he resigned as professor of criminology at the University of Cape Town to commit full-time to his spiritual path. His training in psychology and Buddhism-including a four-year cloistered retreat at Samye Ling-enables him to translate ancient Eastern wisdom into concepts that we can understand and apply.
Rob Nairn has developed a unique secular training in mindfulness, which takes us on a step by step journey into a deepening experience of being present and accepting ourselves as we are. The training includes teachings in Western psychological language that provide a context for understanding what is happening in our minds as we practice and working with obstacles that arise.
Ian has been studying and practicing mindfulness since 2004 under the guidance of Rob Nairn and has participated in a number of week long and month long retreats on an annual basis with a variety of teachers in the U.K., South Africa and India. In 2010, Ian enrolled on the first cohort of the Studies in Mindfulness MSc and graduated from this programme with an MSc in 2013. Ian has been teaching mindfulness since 2012 and is currently employed by the NHS to design, deliver and research mindfulness based interventions for staff as well as being a lead tutor for the Mindfulness Association. Ian also teaches TaeKwon-Do and Budokon Yoga and martial arts and has a particular interest in mindful movement and mindful ecology.
Angie has studied and practiced Tibetan Buddhism at Kagyu Samye Ling in the Scottish Borders for over 30 years. Within that time she has learnt Tibetan Buddhist practices including that of Mindfulness. She also trained for over 20 years in a comprehensive therapeutic process entitled ‘Tara Rokpa Therapy’. Initially developed at Samye Ling, this combines the wisdom and integrity from both East and Western psychological traditions. Self-reflective writing, painting, relaxation, bodywork and an exploration of the 5 Tibetan Elements to help promote health and well-being are key components within this discipline. In addition to being an experienced Tara Rokpa workshop facilitator, Angie holds a teaching certificate, she is a trained counsellor in Transpersonal Psychology and N.L.P (Neuro Linguistic Programming), and a qualified massage therapist (ITEC). She has been teaching and running workshops since the 80’s in both the private and public sector, throughout the UK and Europe.
Angie has completed a two year Mindfulness and Compassion teacher training programme with Rob Nairn and is currently undertaking an MSc in Mindfulness with Aberdeen University. She runs weekend workshops and 8 week sessions in the practise of mindfulness.
Tina has been practicing meditation for over 12 years, of which 5 years have been in the secular mindfulness tradition. Tina started teaching mindfulness after completing the 3 year training with Rob Nairn and the Mindfulness Association. Shortly after, she became a tutor with the team. Tina teaches on the one year mindfulness training at Samye Ling Buddhist Monastery and in Edinburgh. She also runs 8 week mindfulness programs throughout Scotland.
Along with teaching mindfulness, Tina qualified in 2005 as a Hatha Yoga teacher and is a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Cancer Care & Chemotherapy. She has been nursing for 30yrs. In the last 3 years, Tina has combined her love of mindfulness meditation with yoga and nursing and runs specialist yoga and mindfulness programs for people living with cancer in Lothian. She has seen enormous life changing benefits to many people through embracing a mindful way of life and Tina believes that everyone could benefit from trying it.
Heather has a PostGraduate Diploma in Studies in Mindfulness and is currently studying for a PhD in Education with the University of Aberdeen, sponsored by the Mindfulness Association. Her work focuses on the role (if any) for mindfulness and self-compassion in Scottish secondary schools, and as part of her PhD she has created the Mindfulness Based Living Course for Young Adults (MBLC-YA).
Heather has 6 years’ experience of teaching mindfulness and compassion to children and adolescents in schools as well as in her private practice as a children’s meditation teacher, and she is a published author on the subject.