Mindful leadership is now being taught in many organizations. It’s been found that effectiveness on a personal and professional level increases when leaders are attentive to their stressors, energy, awareness, and creativity.
Stress is one of the most cited causes of mental and physical complaints about job tasks. The costs to organizations of medical claims due to pressure are enormous – about $300 billion per year. Many of us are at work more than we’re home or elsewhere in today’s world. The pressure increases with the amount of information we have to learn and the tasks we must complete in a certain amount of time.
Creating mindfulness in leadership positions has been found to decrease the amount of stress, both workers and management. Mindfulness is defined as “paying attention in a particular manner: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally.” It can be achieved in the workplace by focusing on thoughts and emotions rather than getting the job done quickly.
Mindfulness is as vital to our health as are regular medical checkups. There are many benefits, including:
- Thinking outside the box – being creative.
- Improving focus and clarity of thought.
- Enhancing mood and more positive emotions.
- Lessening feelings of panic and guilt.
- Helping lengthen attention span.
- Helping strengthen the immune system.
Mindful leadership is an essential topic in most management training classes. Some medical facilities have used Conscious Stress Reduction programs to treat chronically ill patients with colossal success. Now, it’s being used to treat healthy people and keep them from developing stress issues in their lives.
Mindfulness is gaining attention because organizations are becoming more informed about effective leadership. Findings demonstrate the best leaders are self-aware and centered in self-confidence and capabilities. When potential leaders learn how to focus on one task at a time in consideration of the broader vision, they tend to become more competent.
Wondering how to be a mindful leader?
1. Remain entirely focused on the person talking to you.
I bet you’re thinking – “Oh Boy,” and your right – not easily done. Our minds wander during nearly half of our waking hours. It will take practice as you consciously remind yourself to pay attention. Remove yourself from distractions when you are talking with colleagues and staff and that will help.
2. Make thoughtful decisions.
A mindful leader makes decisions without judgment and emotion while using tried and true decision-making processes like the 10 Steps of Problem-Solving and Forcefield Analysis I teach in the Great Leader Series.
3. Empower team members.
Mindful leaders coach their team by educating them on how to make sound decisions, supporting them through the decision-making process, and finally helping them evaluate the outcome. In turn, you will have empowered staff who feel competent and act independently. A win-win for you and your team.
4. Get enough sleep.
Mindful leaders ensure they get enough sleep recognizing the importance of staying focused and level-headed during the day.
5. Meditate
Power stress is a term coined for leaders who are more susceptible to stress. The demands of authority, the inherent loneliness of being at the top, and knowing our daily decisions affect team members’ lives. Practicing 5 – 20 minutes of meditation daily is not time wasted. Instead, it keeps you on top of your game.
Commit to these five practices and will discover you can achieve clarity of purpose while training your mind to meet any challenge you might face.
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