Mindful leadership means being consciously present with your team members and your work, according to uschamber.com. Mindful leaders also can encourage those with whom they interact to be mindful. But it can be difficult to stay focused and effectively implement the practice into your daily routine.
You can start by prioritizing who you are with and what you are working on in the present moment and trying not to think about other issues to which you cannot currently devote your attention. Mastering that can help you navigate stressful scenarios with calmness and clarity.
Mindful leaders often can see the bigger picture; cultivate a secure company culture in which employees are comfortable speaking their minds; and manage stress better. Following are tips to help you become a mindful leader.
- The first step of being mindful at work is being mindful in everyday life. Implement mindfulness in your daily routine by meditating and being fully present in each moment. Start with breathing exercises that bring attention to your mind and body and then slowly incorporate the sense of calm and awareness into other aspects of your daily life.
- Build your emotional intelligence. Emotional awareness helps you understand yourself, how you are feeling and your relationship to work. Having strong emotional intelligence allows you to separate external events from your employees and your own emotional reaction to them.
- Take responsibility for your mistakes. Leaders need to set an example of accountability and responsibility. Even if a conflict is entirely out of your control, as the person responsible for the team and project, you need to be the one to address the issue and work to find a resolution. When you take ownership of your circumstances, it helps you understand what is in your control and gives you the confidence to move forward in a productive manner.
- Prioritize integrity and ethics in every interaction when you are leading a team. Be aware of each person’s unique situation and treat everyone with respect. When leaders show they value integrity and respect within their work practices, others respond to it and do the same.
