“For leaders, the first task in management has nothing to do with leading others; step one poses the challenge of knowing and managing oneself.” – Daniel Goleman
In last week’s blog post, we took a look at the importance of leading mindfully, and the aspects of learning to understand and manage yourself. Aspects of managing yourself and acting as a mindful leader include connecting with deep values that guide, imbuing actions with meaning, aligning emotions with goals, keeping ourselves motivated, and keeping ourselves focused and on task. This week we will continue to delve deeper into the realm of mindful leaders, and discover some of the many benefits discovered by researchers.
For many leaders, the idea of pausing during a frantic workday to stop and sit still may seem absurd. As you stare down project deadlines and unpredictable time demands, this suggestion may prompt you to utter “Unacceptable!” or even “Insulting!”.
But many U.S. and global workplaces are adopting mindfulness meditation. People are taking time to simply sit still and practice it:
- Companies like Raytheon, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Nortel Networks, Comcast, and prominent law firms have offered employees classes in mindfulness meditation.
- Executives like Bill Ford Jr., chairman of Ford Motor Company; Michael Stephen, former chairman of Aetna International; Robert Shapiro, ex-CEO of Monsanto; and Michael Rennie, managing partner of McKinsey & Co., meditate and consider the practice beneficial to running a corporation.
So, while some may view stopping and sitting still for 15–30 minutes an absurd prospect, it may be just the solution to prevent burnout and stress, especially in tough economic times.
The Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation
Recent research highlights the many benefits of mindfulness meditation:
- Repaired immune systems,
- Heightened emotional intelligence,
- Reduced anxiety and depression,
- Sustained levels of joy and satisfaction,
- Greater career resilience,
- Improved cardiovascular health, and
- Fewer days lost to illness and stress.
Scientific studies indicate that practicing mindfulness is just plain healthy. Apart from the published research, leaders who do it experience a wealth of benefits.
The millions who pursue mindfulness meditation are rediscovering what it means to be human. But practicing meditation requires much…well, practice. It demands vulnerability and heart, rather than ambition and achievement—a tall order for hard-driving, results-oriented executives.
Becoming a mindful leader requires you to explore the intimacy of sitting still and learning how such a simple act can transform your complicated, demanding workplace. Let’s start with the basics.
Next week we’ll be giving you some tips for successful meditation, but in the mean time I highly encourage you to experiment with taking a few minutes each day to sit and be still. As always, I’d love to hear from you. I can be reached here or on LinkedIn.
