Search Inside Yourself

Search Inside Yourself (SIY) is a mindfulness and emotional intelligence training program created by Google for its employees in 2007. The company expanded the program into its non-profit Search Inside Yourself Leadership Initiative (SIYLI) in 2012 and made it available for individuals and organizations. SIYLI also offers certified SIY teacher training. SIYLI clients number in the thousands and include SAP, Salesforce, American Express, LinkedIn, Comcast, Cox Media, Ford, Qualcomm and Bloom Energy.

According to Bill Duane, a former lead engineer at Google, the company developed the Search Inside Yourself program to help employees deal with the massive upheaval in the workplace caused by disruptive technologies. In particular, Duane said, it was essential for employees to maintain – or achieve – feelings of psychological safety in the midst of so much disruption.

Feeling safe afforded employees the mental equilibrium necessary to remain creative and innovative in that environment. Another benefit is improvements to workplace relationships. After taking a mindfulness training course at work, Duane was so impressed by the improvements to his work and work experience that he changed positions to lead development on a program that led to Search Inside Yourself.  

Search Inside Yourself is also a book by Chade-Meng Tan, one of the founders of personal growth programs at Google.