Discovering the Art of Mindful Leadership
I used to think that leadership was about learning a set of skills and tactics to influence, inspire, guide and manage my team. My assumption was rooted in a belief leadership is something you learn from the outside. My path of leadership has illuminated a very different model, one based upon my personal experience, rooted in courage, authenticity, vulnerability and a direct connection to my own purpose, and a higher purpose for my work.
There are a lot of leadership trainings out there. Organizations recognize the value in investing in their team through leadership development. The key to the value of the investment is measured in the effectiveness of the leader to integrate the experience when they return from the training. Herein lies the key to unlocking growth and potential for ourselves, our team that the organizations we serve. In essence, leadership is rooted in integrity. Simply put, the inside matches the outside; what we say, do, think and feel is congruent in all dimensions of our lives. Our story is congruent, no matter who we are speaking to. We express our values when it is convenient, and when it is not. We tell the truth – most importantly to ourselves. We live one life, and how we speak, act, treat others, express our purpose and embody our values is rooted in authenticity, courage, vulnerability and honesty; at home, at work, with friends, with colleagues, with strangers, when everyone is watching, and most importantly, when no one is. This is integrity, and integrity is the space that contains leadership.
The art of mindful leadership is based in awareness. Present moment awareness. The mindful leader practices deep listening, authenticity, not knowing, and trusting our inner guidance. This path of leadership asks us to put down our phones, to show up fully in each moment, to care for ourselves and others, and to dare greatly in our relationships. The path of mindful leadership is a path of curiosity, of asking questions and following our interests, our joy, our light. As mindfulness expert Jon Kabat-Zinn shares, “we take care of the future by taking care of the present now.”
Authenticity is the key. We can only share what we know and have integrated with practice. Leadership is not simply a set of tactics that we can learn from an authority, but rather a deep integration of our own unique and authentic gifts and talents, which allows us to bring them forth with confidence and skill.
Leadership involves creating vision, inspiration, learning and guidance for others. The process of leadership starts with clarifying one’s own passions – the things we most value, and why – and then learning how to share them with the world. A key of mindful leadership is to refill our own well, to nourish our own light. What brings you joy? What would you like to do today? If you had unlimited time and resources, what would you choose to do and be? So many people in all walks of life do not know the answers to these questions. This is an indication their well is depleted and this greatly inhibits one’s ability to be a source of light for others. The metaphor of putting on our oxygen mask first, before we help another is a way of saying, we must nurture ourselves if we are to have the energy, inspiration, joy, and enthusiasm to guide and lead our team.
Leadership guru Joseph Jarowski speaks eloquently regarding the concept of the servant leader. “The fundamental choice that enables true leadership in all situations is the choice to serve life”. Our capacities as leaders come from the choice to allow life to unfold through us. Through leadership, we serve something higher than ourselves.
In essence, we must prioritize our own wellbeing, and furthermore, it is imperative that organizations prioritize the wellbeing of their team. I have colleagues who work for a large medical center. The institution prides itself on its wellness center for patients. However, this same ethic is not practiced with the employees. They have limited time off, inflexible work schedules, no stipend for their own wellness practices, etc. Congruency is when the inside matches the outside, and for leaders to be effective, their wellbeing must be supported and nurtured by themselves first, as well as their workplace, family and broader social structure. Wellbeing is a practice in integrity.
At the core of mindful leadership is the willingness to do our personal work. To see ourselves honestly, and take responsibility for our inner life. It is a powerful practice to own one’s shadow – all the unseen aspects of our self. This is some of the most difficult and important work there is. All of our potential lies hidden in our shadow, and we can only see it through projection onto others. What we don’t like about another is a reflection of ourselves. Similarly, what we admire in another is often a clue towards uncovering our gifts that have yet to be fully expressed. Simply put, whenever we judge another, it is a clue to illuminating our shadow and integrating our gifts, if we are willing to turn and face it, rather than putting it on someone else. Think about your team, who you admire and who irritates you – these are clues to what is unseen in yourself. Do the work internally, and watch the dynamics shift. Check out “Radical Forgiveness” by Colin Tipping and “The Work” by Byron Katie for effective practices in self reflection.
Ultimately, the path of mindful leadership is a path to ourselves, may you enjoy the journey.
