The former head of global customer experience responsible for more than 500 million customers in this $6 billion company, Scott shifted to another kind of experience, mindfulness, a few months ago. No survey was taken but it looked like a lot of Rotarians, at least, were better for it last Thursday after he gave a taste of a mindfulness exercise.

In three stages with eyes closed he coached the group to ultimately produce a calm, warm and loving feeling towards the group, the city, the state and the universe. This and other mindful practices he had been doing alone for a while at LinkedIn and had realized the benefit for a long time before his newest opportunity presented itself. He was more compassionate, happier, healthier and, the key, more productive.

"It helped me be super successful," he said.

He started doing mindfulness meditation at work, then extended invitations to coworkers to join him. It grew and grew and he "came out" to corporate execs and questioned whether or not it might become an institutional product.

Today LinkedIn daily mindfulness sessions are all over the world and have 1,500 employees signed up.

"There's a there there," he said.

Mindfulness addresses the parasympathetic nervous system, that slow-moving relaxation reflex that sets in after the sympathetic system, the one we were taught as the 'fight or flight' reflex, has done its work.

The sympathetic nervous system is survival mode, in anticipation of being eaten by a dinosaur it quickens the pulse, floods the blood stream with adrenaline, wakes up the senses, shuts down unnecessary systems like digestion and thickens the blood to help it coagulate at a wound.

It only takes an instant and doesn't need a dinosaur to trigger. An angry boss at the door, a sudden work dump, even a phone ringing will do.

The parasympathetic system is restorative, but it takes a long time to settle everything down, usually too long at work and never quickly enough in a high-stress position.

Mindful exercises are guided exercises that reduce stress, increase compassion and allow us to feel vulnerable.

Schute's goal is to produce the measures (he is in tech, after all) that prove mindfulness increases productivity, elevates customer satisfaction and benefits the bottom line.

 

 

Update on Bob Campbell from Peter Webb
Bob is going through some hard times. He lost his wife to cancer and his daughter to a brain tumor during the last year. He sold his San Mateo house and moved to the Lenaire retirement community in Roseville and, as you'd expect, he’s making friends in his new home. He plans to visit Roseville Rotary with the idea of joining that club. Our loss is Roseville's gain. He extends new year's wishes to all his old friends in San Mateo Rotary.
His three-times corrected address is:
7121 Orbital Ln.
Roseville. Ca. 95747
650 425 0228

 

 

 

 

 

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. — Maya Angelou

 

Kindess is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see — Mark Twain

 

And I would add a personal note: Just imagine the effect it has on those who can hear and see — Thought, by Bob Binn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Juan Raigoza reports these laws on the books, all of them with severe penalties.

New York: No leering at women in public. First offense is a $25 fine; second violation requires the offender to wear horse blinders in public. It needs a hashtag. I'll start: #whome?

Indiana: You may not go to the theater with garlic breath. #thatyou?

Iowa: No kiss may last more than five minutes. #notongue

 

Chief Susan Manheimer, an excellent snow skier, met her match on the slopes, which PresbyteriBean described as a triple axel. It would definitely be a first, since a triple axel requires skates. At any rate, a card came around wishing her a quick recovery from her leg injury.

 

Former member Don Giacomini, whom many remember for his raspy voice, his Brooklynesque brogue and his big smile, recently lost his wife of 24 years, Penny. Don can be reached through his current club of many years, Brentwood Rotary.

 

Karen Vandenberg introduced guest Romeo Luz.

 

Roshida Lelani, a financial advisor and education advocate, was sworn in by sponsor Dick Bennett. Welcome, Roshida. It was nice of you to plunge right in and take over greeting honors at your first official meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

San Mateo Rotary cosponsors with our Foster City brethren a free dictionary distribution for third graders in the San Mateo-Foster City School District. A number of volunteers have placed identifying stickers on 400 books; Mike Peterson would appreciate volunteers who will distribute the books. Contact him at Mike09Pete@yahoo.com to help with the distribution, a commitment of only an hour or so.

 

It was Shawn DeLuna's turn in the barrel, but, fortunately, an upstairs pipe broke in his home and he was absent mopping up. And, fortunately, President BB found a stand-in, father Dick. He was able to identify slides of his granddaughter, Giana (spelled right?) and Shawn's 1950 Cadillac.

Shawn's a fabulous cook and often says "If I could afford to lose $30,000 a month, I'd open a restaurant."

President Bruce gave Dick the bite.

 

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The hen is mightier than the cock. — Henny Penny

 

 Nothing to see here.