Mindfulness meditation practices can be an effective way to reduce stress and improve well-being in certain contexts. But as more and more employers offer some form of mindfulness training to their employees, it isn’t always clear whether these programs are actually paying off. To explore the impact of mindfulness in the workplace, the authors conducted a series of field studies in real-world work environments — and they found that while mindfulness can in fact be beneficial in some situations, it can be less effective (or even counterproductive) in others.

Ask any communication professional or skilled speaker and they will tell you that the first step in getting results through your communication is knowing and connecting with your audience. But that’s easier said than done. Often we fall into the trap of trying to impress our audience rather than making sure what (and how) we’re communicating is what will resonate with them.