Is Mindful Leadership the Right ‘Leadership’ for Today’s World?

In this next blog in the series, we take a look at mindfulness and leadership and ask, ‘Is mindful leadership modern leadership?’ and ‘Is it the right leadership for today’s world?’. 

At the heart of leadership lies a paradox

If leadership is about doing the right thing at the right time, how do you know on either score? I would argue that mindfulness can help a leader to know both the right time and the right thing.

That’s a pretty big claim?

I think not. Only three things happen naturally in an organisation: confusion, friction, and underperformance. The rest requires leadership!

Modern leadership

A modern leader needs to be present and in the moment, whilst being aware of the bigger picture and all the nuances at play.

He or she needs to engage and inspire, have great self-awareness and know their strengths and weaknesses. They will be curious and a great storyteller, able to create compelling and resonant narratives that connect emotionally.

He or she needs to be authentic, ethical and trustworthy. They will surround themselves with the best people and listen, but will also need to understand the nature of ‘luck’ and prepare for it accordingly.

 
[bookboon-book id=”290874fa-2a59-4696-9ee0-a3be00ac509e” title=”This article is based on the following eBook:” language=”en”]
 

Mindful leadership

A mindful leader pays complete attention, which is about much more than simply showing up, or being in the room. They are deliberate, considered, grounded and far less likely to be distracted by whatever crisis or meeting. They have greater insight and outsight and are better able to hold the bigger picture, have greater clarity and a sense of purpose that informs all their decision-making.

They are emotionally intelligent, resilient and comfortable in their own skin. They have empathy and understand who they are and take the time to really listen and tune into the “song beneath the words”, enabling them to readily adapt to different audiences and situations and make that vital emotional connection.

A mindful leader has great humility and is prepared to embrace failure, knowing this is where both learning and future success come from. They also have an intense professional will that enables them to balance their natural compassion with strength and a steely resolve. They also know that their vision will be bigger and last longer if they surround themselves with the best people and invest in a culture that provides a clear purpose, is compassionate, inspires and rewards creativity, and is transparent.

So yes, mindful leadership is modern leadership and I think you’ll agree that it’s certainly fit-for-purpose for today’s world!

 
This article is based on the eBook Uncovering Mindfulness. You can follow the continuing journey Uncovering Mindfulness on Twitter @TheMindfulBook and @OfficialUMWPM and find out more about the author by visiting www.themuddpartnership.co.uk

More blog articles from Paul Mudd:

• What is Mindfulness?
• Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
• Mindfulness & The Brain: You’re Smarter than You Think!
• Mindfulness & Our Children: Educating For the Future!

 
[bookboon-recommendations id=”290874fa-2a59-4696-9ee0-a3be00ac509e” title=”You might also find these books interesting:”]