The Cow in the Parking Lot: A Zen Approach to Overcoming Anger

What do cows and parking spaces have to do with managing a third sector workforce? Quite a lot, if your day-to-day life involves finding yourself in a situation where you might succumb to feelings of frustration or anger. The Cow in the Parking Lot, by Leonard Scheff and Susan Edmiston, says you can manage your anger in a positive way through the power of Buddhism. So when a colleague screws up, a donor pulls out or a charity campaign misfires, reach for the yoga mat, assume the meditation position and chant your cares away . . . You may be wondering where the cow comes in. Well, imagine you're in a supermarket car park, circling for that elusive space. You find one, but before you can reverse in, someone else has swiped it. Now imagine that, instead of another driver, a cow has lumbered into the space and settled down. Your anger dissolves into bemusement.