Leadership and Governance
Guiding Our Commitment to Individual and Organizational Transformation
Staff and Advisors
IOSM is governed as a non-profit association with a mission to advance new science and neural solutions in the workplace.
Our operating model is intentionally distributed, drawing on multiple disciplines and perspectives. Our diverse experts, volunteers and advisors ensure scientific integrity, practical relevance, and steady guidance as the field evolves.
Founding Advisory Board
IOSM was established by a founding group of senior executives and educators who shaped the mission, validated the need, and set the institute’s early standards.
Founders have contributed invaluable expertise in leadership, human capital, education, coaching, and applied practice. Many continue to serve, providing continuity, independent perspective, and long-term guidance.
"Our mission is to close the gap between what science is discovering about human performance and what organizations practice. Developing human skills through organizational training is not a trend — it is foundational for meeting AI and VUCA challenges in the coming decades."
IOSM, 2026
Leadership
Operating Committee
Our operating committee of experienced executives provides day-to-day leadership and operational oversight
Responsibilities include:
-
Planning and strategic alignment
-
Program development and delivery
-
Operational priorities and sequencing
-
Execution of organizational initiatives
The committee ensures that our work is coordinated, disciplined, and aligned with our mission.
Advisory Committees
Standing advisory committees support admin and operations.
These include:
-
Membership Committee — Community, network platform, and member programs
-
Education Committee — Curriculum design, instructional quality, and delivery
-
Science Committee — Standards, scientific integrity, and methodological review
We form ad hoc project committees as needed to advance specific initiatives.
Volunteer and Professional Contribution
IOSM welcomes professional contributions and volunteer engagement across all levels—from advisors and committee members to educators, community leaders, and partners.
Governance and Oversight
IOSM governance practices reflect our responsibility as a public-serving professional association.
Association oversight includes:
-
Financial responsibility and sustainability
-
Transparency in purpose, standards, and operations
-
Alignment between stated principles and actual practice
We strive to balance accountability with flexibility, supporting steady, thoughtful evolution.
FAQ
Why does IOSM use a distributed leadership and committee model?
IOSM’s distributed model ensures that leadership, expertise, and insight come from a wide and diverse global community—not a single central authority. Committees, working groups, and volunteer roles allow members to influence curriculum, events, research, and community strategy. This structure accelerates innovation, broadens representation, and ensures that neural training evolves through collective intelligence and real-world experience. Members join committees by expressing interest and aligning with areas where they want to contribute.
How can individuals support IOSM’s mission?
Anyone can begin by joining as a free Community Member of the Organizational Mindfulness Network (OMN). Community members gain access to foundational research, cross-industry insights, and a global network of peers who care about the future of human capability at work. Through participation in discussions, open events, and movement-wide initiatives, individuals help raise awareness of science-based neural training and introduce these ideas into their own workplaces, professions, and communities. Every new member expands the reach and momentum of the movement.
How can experienced leaders and professionals contribute to IOSM’s mission?
IOSM operates through a distributed leadership model that draws on the expertise of its members. Experienced professionals can contribute by serving on advisory or project committees, supporting curriculum development, reviewing emerging research, leading community discussions, mentoring practitioners, and helping build applied standards for the field. This structure allows experts from leadership, HR-OD, education, behavioral science, and coaching to shape programs and initiatives in ways aligned with their strengths. IOSM is intentionally a “big tent” designed to harness the broadest possible base of talent.
How does participating in IOSM benefit high-performing individuals?
Participation gives individuals access to a community and learning ecosystem built around the science of human capability. Members gain exposure to emerging research, practical neural training methods, and a global network of peers who are navigating similar challenges in leadership, coaching, education, and personal performance. Those who upgrade to Education Membership can participate in workshops, 21-day neural challenges, and deeper learning pathways that build resilience, clarity, emotional intelligence, and adaptability. For many professionals, IOSM provides both a developmental edge and a sense of shared purpose in shaping the future of work.
How can participating in IOSM benefit a company?
Organizations gain access to a science-grounded approach to developing human capability for the AI era. By integrating neural training into leadership development, workforce capability-building, talent practices, or well-being initiatives, companies strengthen employees’ cognitive and emotional skills under pressure. Participation can include sponsoring internal cohorts for workshops or certificate programs, embedding neural skills in management practices, or cultivating internal champions who bring this work into teams and functions. The result is a more adaptive, resilient, and human-centered workforce equipped for high-performance environments.
How can companies contribute to IOSM’s larger mission?
Companies help advance the field by nominating internal leaders to serve on committees or working groups, sharing workplace challenges that inform program design, or supporting community-wide initiatives. Organizations also play a critical role in demonstrating how neural training can shape culture, improve human capability, and strengthen performance. As early adopters, companies expand the visibility and legitimacy of this emerging discipline while modeling what integration looks like in real operational settings.
Can companies participate in research or pilot programs?
Yes. IOSM partners with organizations, academic researchers, and scientific advisors to conduct pilot implementations of neural training in real workplace conditions. Participating companies can test programs with selected teams, gather internal measurement data, and contribute to published research on performance, well-being, resilience, attention, emotional regulation, or leadership capability. This partnership benefits both sides: organizations gain actionable insights about their workforce, and IOSM advances the evidence base needed to shape industry standards and inform best practices.
How can members help expand awareness of neural training in their industries, communities, and professional networks?
Members can accelerate awareness by sharing research, hosting discussions, inviting colleagues to open events, organizing local meetups, or contributing articles and practical insights. They can also help introduce IOSM programs inside their organizations or partner with peers to demonstrate neural training’s impact in real workplace settings. This effort is not promotional—it is educational, focused on helping people understand why cognitive and emotional capability is the critical differentiator in the future of work.
How can educators and parents help bring neural skills into schools, universities, and homes?
Educators and parents can apply IOSM principles to support student well-being, emotional development, attention control, and cognitive readiness for the future of work. Many members introduce simple neural practices into classrooms, family routines, or youth programs. IOSM provides frameworks and resources to guide these efforts, recognizing that neural capability is not only a workplace priority but a societal one—essential for preparing the next generation for an AI-transformed world.
Why is participating in IOSM’s work especially important now, as AI reshapes jobs and human capability becomes the critical differentiator?
As AI automates analytical, technical, and routine knowledge tasks, human advantage is shifting toward mental and emotional capabilities—focus, adaptability, emotional intelligence, resilience, creativity, and relational skill. These capabilities can be intentionally developed through neural training. Participation in IOSM helps ensure that individuals, teams, and organizations are prepared for this transition and can build the skills that will define effective leadership and performance in the decades ahead. This is a transformative moment in the future of work, and neural capability is at the center of it.