Mindful Leadership For Dummies

Chapter 4

Case Study 1: Andrew Stone, Baron Stone of Blackheath

IN THIS CHAPTER

Looking at a case study of a boy expelled from school turned mindful leader

Understanding how mindfulness can assist in tense international negotiations

Working effectively with people who have strongly opposing viewpoints

In the next three chapters, you find three case studies, each featuring a leader who practices mindfulness. The case studies provide information on how these leaders developed their mindfulness, the practical ways that it helps them, and tips for leaders like you, who are just starting your mindfulness journey.

This chapter tells the fascinating story of Andrew Stone – a market trader who is now a member of the House of Lords.

The Impact of Mindfulness on Andrew’s Work

As a child, Andrew Stone suffered from dyslexia, which at that time was seldom recognised in schools. As a result, he became rebellious and was expelled from school with no qualifications at the age of 16. He had two brothers who were academically gifted, and he felt that his failure in school had consigned him to, in his own words, ‘a life in the gutter’. He started working on a street market in the 1950s, regarding himself as a ‘hardened spiv’. Luckily, others recognised his potential to be a brilliant retailer.

In 1977, Andrew came to the attention of the chairman of Marks & Spencer (M&S), Sir Marcus Sieff, who took him on as his personal assistant and became his mentor. Andrew worked for M&S for 33 years, rapidly ...