The great part of learning about how to become more mindful is that it literally spills over into all aspects of our life. It impacts our personal relationships, our personal enjoyment of tasks or activities in the moment, the way we think, how we feel, and even how we lead in the workplace.
So, what is a mindful leader exactly? And, most importantly, how can you become one? In this article, we’re going to dive headfirst into the benefits of mindfulness for leaders, how mindfulness practices can improve decision-making, communication, and emotional intelligence, and how you can become a mindful leader!
What is a Mindful Leader?
A mindful leader is present in the moment. They are aware of others’ feelings and their surroundings, taking these things into account for making decisions and when communicating tasks or projects to their teams. And yes, it sounds ultra-simple! But this is one of those things that is a little harder than it looks.
Many times, leaders are so focused on the goal or outcome of a project or activity that we forget that people are part of the equation or that there really is no other moment in time besides right now and that the right now is all that we have control over.
However, becoming more mindful as a leader has multiple benefits, including:
- Responding appropriately, rationally, and objectively to problems or issues
- Recognizing and overcoming bad habits or habits that aren’t helping
- Engaging your employees or team and motivating them to achieve positive results
- Developing greater emotional intelligence and awareness, which can help you interact and connect with your team members
- Improving communication between others and the team
- Managing conflict from a place of empathy
A mindful leader has the capacity to lead in the most effective and efficient way possible, leading to the best possible outcomes. Becoming more mindful as a leader can also help you become more mindful within all aspects of your life! It’s not just about work.
What Are the 4 Fundamental Skills of Mindful Leadership Include?
The four fundamental skills of a mindful leader include focus, clarity, creativity, and compassion. When we think about our interactions with others, this makes loads of sense. We should always be actively listening (focus), and communicate specifically and kindly (clarity and compassion), while also fostering new ideas and innovation (creativity).
According to a Harvard Business Review, leaders who practice mindfulness for even just 10 minutes each day have increased resilience, collaboration, and an undeniable skill to energize and motivate their teams in positive ways and even in tough or difficult situations.
Mindful leaders are further less reactive. This is important. If you think about the best bosses or leaders you have had, it’s likely they were good at regulating their emotions, focused on the present situation, took other views into consideration, empathized, and were able to quickly adapt when the situation required it.
How Do You Become a Mindful Leader?
So, then the question is: What can you do to become more mindful as a leader? Luckily, it’s not too complicated. Often, it just takes consistent effort, which may gradually become second nature. Here are a few tips!
1. Take time to practice mindfulness each day.
This comes in many shapes and forms. There’s not one set way to do this or any hard rules here. For instance, you may choose to meditate for five to 10 minutes a day. Or perhaps you take a moment to reflect and journal. You may also incorporate bits of mindfulness into your everyday life, such as no distractions when eating lunch or dinner.
2. Flex that empathy muscle!
Learning to be more empathetic can help you understand others and help fulfill their needs, as well as guide your team toward success by doing so.
When met with a difficult situation, try putting yourself in the other person’s shoes. How would you feel? How would you react? There often reasoning behind the “madness.” Getting to that reasoning or understanding can help everyone feel heard and resolve conflict much more quicker. It can also help others feel understood and valid, which is a need most people have.
3. Be flexible.
Rigidity frequently leads to resistance. As motivational speaker Brian Tracy once said, “Be clear about your goal but be flexible about the process of achieving it.”
And the truth is the world is dynamic; There are constantly changing conditions. Being able to adapt and change direction is a huge asset when it comes to leading and achieving a goal.
4. Embrace taking full responsibility and ownership.
As a mindful leader, blame isn’t part of your M.O. Often, blame wastes time and energy, getting no closer to resolve or the goal at hand. Instead, if you make a mistake, own up to it. This will actually encourage others to do so too. It fosters a sense of trust, clarity, and understanding.
Additionally, when we own up to our mistakes, we can begin to take steps toward fixing them, which is a great strength to have as a leader in any situation.
5. Value ethics and integrity.
With a team, ethics and integrity should always be top of mind. As a mindful leader, valuing these and recognizing them can help you lead your team with respect while honoring each person’s unique situation. It also gives us a moral compass guide as to what’s “right” or “wrong” and why.
Bring Mindfulness Into Your Leadership
It’s not overly complex. It does take a bit of effort. But it’s well worth it. In fact, you’ll be a much better leader, and your team will feel that much more satisfied and motivated as well. This often leads to more efficient and effective work with positive results, which is often what most of us strive for.
Try the above tips for incorporating more mindfulness into your leadership and daily life. How can you improve?