Mindful leadership is a change from old-school, traditional leadership styles to a more thoughtful and self-aware way of leading. Mindfulness in leadership can help create a fairer, better, and kinder way of leading teams and organizations and making choices that care for everyone’s well-being.
Understanding Mindful Leadership
A mindful leader is someone who embodies leadership by being non-judgmental, present, and engaged while tackling problems with clarity. The mindful leadership style encourages focus, creativity, and compassion in a supportive work environment where employees feel valued. Additionally, mindful leaders encourage employees to have a healthy work-life balance, leading to higher retention. Other important characteristics of mindful leaders include boosting employee engagement, promoting productivity, and reducing stress levels. The set of characteristics we mentioned are fundamental traits of mindful leaders. However, it can be challenging to embody these characteristics since the world is filled with distractions that can derail us from incorporating mindful leadership excellence. As a result, you need to take a deeper look at yourself and figure out if you can lead without ego and put the wellness of your team members and the organization before yourself.
Here are five traits you should focus on to practice mindfulness in the workplace:
Lead by Humility
Humility is the quality of being humble and putting the needs of others before your own. According to Ken Blanchard, “Humility doesn’t mean to think less of yourself; it means to think of yourself less.” By integrating mindful practices, leaders can recognize their own strengths and weaknesses and understand when to ask for help. This includes asking for feedback and accepting their own shortcomings when company goals aren’t met.
Humility is also directly connected to integrity. As a result, leaders with humility uphold a high standard of integrity. This way, mindful leaders can lead with authenticity and guide others meaningfully. This is crucial since executive leaders often find themselves in challenging situations where the lines between ethical and unethical behavior are blurred, impacting both personal and professional growth. Leaders who lead with integrity can make the right, selfless decisions and put the company’s needs before their own.
Lead by Example
Mindful leadership starts with leading by example and exemplifying what the workforce should do morally and professionally. This is crucial because teams typically look up to their leaders, viewing them as role models who provide coaching and mentoring within teams and organizations. As a result, unethical behavior or leaders with poor interests can influence the organization’s culture and its people. Being a mindful leader can create a positive work environment through their behaviors and inspire their teams to perform similarly. When you lead by example, employees are more likely to work toward a common goal with the same ethics. Additionally, you shouldn’t expect your employees to do something you’re unwilling to do. This can cause distrust and a disconnect between leadership and the workforce.
Recognition and Reward
Although your employees get paid for doing their jobs, a paycheck sometimes isn’t the only form of recognition people need. As a result, mindful leadership focuses on making employees feel appreciated and recognized for their hard work and dedication. You can do this by thanking employees personally or publicly or rewarding them with personalized benefits like time off or gift cards. Regular appreciation is essential since it can also help balance out the critical feedback that leaders need to provide. Employees who are appreciated and recognized experience higher levels of satisfaction and engagement, producing better business results.
Self-Awareness and Presence
Mindful leaders also need to be self-aware and consider how they communicate with their employees with a compassionate leadership approach. As a result, you need to ensure that you have calm and clarity before responding to your team’s needs and concerns. Additionally, you should think about what kind of impact your message or communication will have on the person who is receiving it – is what you’re saying honest and beneficial? Taking these things into consideration will help you communicate with your workforce correctly and create an environment of trust.
Ability to Adapt
Mindful leaders are better at handling change and remaining open to new ideas and approaches. Faced with the challenge of remote work, a mindful leader recognizes the importance of maintaining productivity and connection within the team despite physical distance. In response, they might introduce flexible schedules while acknowledging the circumstances of team members. Understanding the importance of communication in remote settings, a mindful leader might introduce tools and platforms to improve collaboration and information exchange among team members. Mindful leaders prioritize flexibility and implement creative solutions. They manage challenges successfully and cultivate a culture of resilience and adaptability within their teams.
We offer high-quality mindfulness training, coaching, and consulting to some of the world’s most enormous Fortune 500 companies across the globe. Mindful leaders create a work environment that values employee well-being, innovation, and creativity, creating a positive company culture of growth and success. Contact Corporate Class today for leadership training to improve your mindful leadership practices.
