Open Stance

Today's world is full of upheaval, fast technological change, and collective hardship, and the ability to stay receptive and adaptable is worth building. Approaching life with an open posture lets you see your circumstances as they are, without buckling under stress or assigning fault to yourself or others. From that steadier vantage point, you can choose responses that widen your options and bring more energy and happiness.

Ann Van Eron, PhD, makes the case for an open mindset and the stance that goes with it. She lays out a method for strengthening a kind of mental capacity and moving from a closed outlook to an open one, and she offers a range of exercises for putting that stance into practice. Openness also spreads between people: when someone models it, others tend to follow, which strengthens resilience, wellbeing, and growth across a whole group.

Van Eron is an executive and team coach who has spent decades helping large organizations apply these practices, among them the United Nations, World Bank Group, CVS Health, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and Ford Motor Company. Leaders, managers, coaches, parents, and influencers have all drawn on the approach. The book invites readers to bring mindful openness into their homes, workplaces, and communities so they can shape the people around them for the better.