Leadership does not necessarily link with qualities of deep thoughtfulness and compassion. Although, we would all hope that leaders, those we hope guide us, would have qualities that bring out the best in who we are.
As mindfulness is becoming trendy from healthcare to the business spaces, the idea of the mindful leader and mindfulness in leadership is also growing. In fact, the UK there is an All-Party-Parliamentary Group on Mindfulness, that has taken over 200 parliamentarians through an 8-week mindfulness course, to help these individuals reduce their stress, consider their actions, decisions, and mode of interacting with others.
Additionally, Google runs its renowned “Search Inside Yourself” program, and the esteemed World Economic Forum now provides morning mindfulness sessions tailored for leaders in their Annual Meeting in Davos.
Organisations and even governments realise that mindful leaders can be more persuasive (hopefully in a positive way) by truly listening to others and being compassionately responsive rather than reactive and polarised.
This gives rise to more effective actions. It is with this growing insight that a recent review of mindfulness traits in leaders was published by Doonrich.
The paper concluded that via mindfulness training leaders develop greater attention, awareness, and authenticity:
- The paper expresses that attention honed builds as mindfulness in leadership: “activates the executive control function (ECF) of the brain, thereby improving leaders’ capacity to be intentionally present. Our brain’s default mode network (DMN), which tends to mindlessly wander away from the present, is therefore significantly reduced when practicing mindfulness.” When we are more attentive, we are able to listen better, and let go of our internal narrative to consider other perspectives.
- Awareness is cultivated (unsurprisingly) because “mindfulness builds leaders’ capacity to engage in slower, reflective, conscious mind processes about their leadership, while being aware of their tendency to engage in faster, automatic subconscious processes. It also builds their capacity to engage in metacognitive processes that let them revise their thinking and behaving in leadership.” This means that leaders can note when they are stuck in old patterns of thinking. As well as this, it further allows for innovation and the ability to be more compassionate to the needs of others.
- The review also notes that authenticity arises, mindfulness builds insight into peoples’ core beliefs and values, and strengthens, this helps one to align their actions to these strengths. Further as anyone practices mindfulness, they see their own suffering and research find this gives rise to greater empathy to the suffering of others.
As we become more versed in the value of mindfulness in leadership it is clear, that not only does our chaotic world truly need mindful leaders, but that leaders themselves benefit from mindfulness.
Heather Mason, Minded CEO and founder, after reading this paper, said, it made sense. “That practicing mindfulness allows me to notice when I feel stuck and scared, or irritated with my colleagues, team, students, etc….and wait to respond, which is something that is not in my nature, I am not by nature patient. This is especially true when unpleasant feedback is given to me.
However, with myself, rather than responding in kind to difficult feedback I can take a moment, reflect and consider how to respond to the situation in a mode that will bring more tranquillity and better understanding to all involved” She also noted that it is a constant process, and “sometimes I fail terribly, but I reflect on how in the future I may do better”.
In whatever way you might lead in your life (as we all do) we’d like to know how, if you practice mindfulness, it supports you. Email marketing@themindedinstitute.com to let us know.
Read the full review here.
