Self-Management in a Time of Crisis
As many of you are aware, Chris Forman and I recently released a book called The Practice of Self-Management: Walking the Path from Reactivity to Presence and Connection. Based on a course we’ve taught to hundreds of employees at The Decurion Corporation over the last decade and a half, our book aims to help you become less reactive, more present, and better connected with others. Recently I began teaching an online version of the course, using the book as a resource, and I’ve been gratified by the positive responses of the participants.
It occurs to me that the time-tested lessons, meditations, and daily-life practices the course and book contain are especially valuable during this time of upheaval. We are facing not only the external challenges of loss of income, social isolation, and sickness but also the emotions and chatter within ourselves, which often lead to reactive behavior we later regret.
I have decided to offer a new session of the course to begin Tuesday, April 14th. And our publisher, Conscious Capitalism Press, for a limited time, is offering a free digital download of the book via Amazon, Barnes & Noble or the iBookstore. If you prefer a hard copy, they are available at Amazon. You don’t need to sign up for the class to take advantage of the digital download. On the other hand, our experience shows that this is very much a practice-based course. Simply reading the book has limited value. In order to gain the benefits it offers, it is essential to undertake the practices it contains, and this is much easier for most of us if we do so with other people, either in-person or online.
” When I signed up for the Practice of Self-Management course, I was excited by what I would learn from it, but I had no idea that it would end up being one of the most critical pillars of support in my life, thanks to the challenges that ended up coming our way as the course started. There have been memes and articles going around centered on the theme: “If you can’t go outside, go inside.” This course teaches you ways to do that, as well as how to manage stress and find strength in times of struggle, such as we’re facing now. I’m super grateful for this course, and for Bryan’s facilitation. “
Laura Flaxman
Normally, the course takes 12 weeks (one for each chapter of the book), but I am shortening this to six weeks by covering two chapters each week. There will be a 90-minute live online session each Tuesday and Friday. Recordings of each session will be available in case you miss a class. We’ve created a website (www.psm-handbook.com) on which you can post reflections on your experience of each chapter’s practices and receive comments from me, fellow participants, and Decurion employees who have taught the class in the past. Also on the website will be recordings of guided meditations, forums for questions and answers, and extra material such as handouts and videos. I also hope to organize optional drop-in office hours.
Getting the most benefit from the course will require a commitment of time and energy. As mentioned above, each semi-weekly online session will be 90 minutes. The reading for each session might take 20 or 30 minutes. I’ll ask that you post reflections (on the website) on your experience of the practices. The real key is to engage in the practices: the meditative practices for 10 to 20 minutes each day and the daily-life practices through the course of the rest of the day.
Please use the form below to register for the class.
I look forward to seeing you soon!
Bryan Ungard
Session times, dates, and topics
The first 130 people to signup voted on different times-of-day and 1:30 PM PT was chosen. The live sessions will be 1:30 PT Tuesday and Friday. Recordings of the session will be posted shortly afterward.
- Part 1 – Awareness
- April 14 – I Begin To Practice
- April 17 – I Think
- April 21 – I Feel
- April 24 – I Notice
- Part 2 – Understanding
- April 28 – I Observe the Cycle of Reactivity in My Life
- May 1 – I Examine My Assumptions
- May 5 – I Accept What Is
- May 8 – I am in Control of My Response
- Part 3 – Transformation
- May 12 – I Experience Life Fully
- May 15 – I Extend Kindness
- May 19 – I Extend Compassion
- May 22 – I Respond
The Experience of Current Participants
“I joined the Practice of Self-Management course hoping it would bring me much and yet not fully believing it would meet my high expectations. After 6 weeks, I’m finding that my self-awareness has expanded beyond what I thought would be possible. I have gained insights with respect to my inner processes and feel that I am noticed with much greater skill my knee jerk reactions to situations, giving me more opportunities for choosing how I wish to respond, rather than react.”
Mark Harling
‘”I have gone through the Practice of Self-Management course a handful of times over the last decades as an employee at Decurion. Including being halfway through this course right now being taught by Bryan Ungard, one of the authors of the workbook, and a skilled educator on this subject. Bryan’s skill includes continuing to practice what he is teaching, demonstrating throughout the course that the practice of self-management is an experiential practice, not an intellectual one. Every time I take this course, my use of these grounded practices renews and deepens, reminding me that these are life-long practices. Practices that are always of good use, especially during these truly unchartered times. Decurion Employees often cite this course as one of the most all-around helpful tools the company offers.”
Nora Dashwood
“I would highly recommend the Practice of Self-Management program to individuals and teams that want to deepen their self-understanding, personal well-being and group effectiveness.
Overall, the program’s lessons, meditations and daily practices have been extremely helpful in growing my awareness and understating of myself and those around me. Six-weeks into the program, I can say that I am more centred, present, and aware of my thoughts, emotions and knee-jerk reactions.
The leanings from this program have helped me to more effectively navigate through the current Covid-19 crisis. I would call that just-in-time learning!”
Glenn St. Onge – Human Resources Leader
“I’m writing to support The Practice of Self-Management course. The text is concise, practical and very helpful. Each chapter is short, approximately 8 pages – which makes it very doable for busy people. The chapter formats are: introduction with the content, meditative practice with recordings, daily-life practice with questions, discussion questions, and weekly reflections. Bryan hosts a digital hub for shared reflections and sharing of materials. The content is relatable and extremely useful.
I highly recommend all of it – the course, Bryan, the format and the ease of the course – everyone should take it. I wish I had developed these mindsets and skills many years ago.
I love the work of Conscious Capitalism and think this offering would be a great fit with your work.”
Sandi Kitts, Participant 2020
“Because of this program, I have changed and developed into a more whole human being. I am more aware of my reactivity, therefore my response time is more mindful and measured with each day.
If there is any course that should be taught broadly in schools, organizations and corporations, not to mention during a global crisis, it is The Practice of Self-Management course. “
Monica Dashwood
“With a heartfelt gratitude I say, this program is a gift. It was immensely practical in illuminating my own Cycle of Reactivity. Offering language and visuals to make the invisible, visible, I learned new ways to intervene and transform my mind. There is no convenient time to shift one’s habits of mind, but a Global Pandemic does provide you lots to work with! “
Alex Wray
Registration (now closed)
Contact Bryan at bungard@decurion.com for more information.