Traveler’s Mind: A Narrative-Based Account of Working and Living Mindfully
Erik Dane, Kevin W. Rockmann
Journal of Management Inquiry October 25, 2018 DOI: 10.1177/1056492618808588 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 7 |
| Key points | Argues that a "traveler's mind"—a state in which two forms of mindfulness occur in tandem—arises most readily when traveling to novel destinations, and proposes that this state can also be cultivated in mundane settings through practices organizations and individuals can adopt, making it as much a matter of mind-set as of geography. |
Abstract
Traveling to novel destinations can give rise to a state of attention referred to here as a “traveler’s mind”—a state in which two forms of a popular concept in management and organization studies, mindfulness, occur in tandem. In this essay, written as a personal narrative, I explore the nature of a traveler’s mind, discuss the conditions under which this state of attention is most likely to arise, and consider how this state connects to and informs our understanding of related concepts of note (e.g., mindfulness and sensemaking). I also propose that a traveler’s mind can be achieved not only through travel but also on a more mundane basis and highlight practices organizations and their members can adopt to foster this state of attention. Together, the observations provided here suggest that cultivating a traveler’s mind is as much a matter of mind-set as of geography.