Mindfulness meditation has long been practiced by Buddhists and others seeking greater calm and peace of mind. A Buddhist-trained HR executive, Michael Carroll encourages business leaders to take time to sit and be still. Stressed-out executives, he says, need a way to reconnect with themselves to become more open and, consequently, more effective.
In his book, The Mindful Leader: Awakening Your Natural Management Skills Through Mindfulness Meditation, Carroll explores the key principles of mindfulness and how they apply to leading organizations.
Mindfulness meditation addresses a wide range of topics, including:
- How to heal toxic workplace cultures where anxiety and stress impede creativity and performance
- How to cultivate courage and confidence in spite of workplace difficulties and economic recession
- How to pursue organizational goals without neglecting what’s happening here and now
- How to lead with wisdom and gentleness, not only with ambition, relentless drive and power
- How a personal medication practice develops your innate leadership talents
In short, mindfulness meditation is a friendly gesture toward ourselves, in which we take time to sit still for 10-15 minutes or longer. You can meditate in your office, sitting in your chair. Here are some essential guidelines:
- Sit upright – relaxed, yet alert.
- Open your eyes and maintain a soft, relaxed, downward gaze.
- Place hands palms down, resting gently.
- Tuck in your chin.
- Breathe normally.
- Observe your thoughts gently, without judgment.
- Label your thoughts as “thinking” and dismiss them. Let them go.
- Return your focus to your being, breathing and bodily sensations.
- Be still.
- Experience being you in the moment – in the now.
Research shows that meditation produces the following positive results:
- Enhanced physical health
- Enhanced emotional health
- Reduced anxiety and stress
- Feelings of joy and compassion
- Enhanced wisdom
However, we shouldn’t view meditation solely as a means to achieve positive outcomes. We need to approach meditation from the standpoint of appreciating the experience for itself. It actually becomes an expression of who we are as we meditate.
Practice mindfulness meditation with non-achievement in mind. Meditation’s benefits are attained by exercising unseen “leadership muscles” as you sit still.
There are 10 leadership talents developed through meditation as presented in Carroll’s book:
- Simplicity
- Poise
- Respect
- Courage
- Confidence
- Enthusiasm
- Patience
- Awareness
- Skillfulness
- Humility
These skills develop with practice as you meditate and can then be applied with a natural ease and familiarity during hectic work days and stressful challenges.
When you slow down, you gain a realistic picture of what’s going on instead of speeding through your day – or worse, speeding through your life. Meditation and mindfulness are invitations to become more fully human. In everyday leadership, this confers power to have a real impact on your organization.