I was discussing Mindful Leadership with a friend, and she asked, why would I want to practice it in the first place?

This turns out to be one of the most common questions that I get, and in this article, I will share with you the reasons that I choose to practice Mindful Leadership.

5 Reasons To Practice Mindful Leadership

1) Give You An Edge

I was first drawn to Mindful Leadership as a way to boost personal productivity. I viewed it as my secret weapon, a practice that gave me an edge over my peers.

As I dove deep into the practice, I started experiencing moments of mental clarity and increased focus. This enabled me to clarify priorities, better manage distractions, make quality decisions, experience longer periods of flow, and enhanced creativity and productivity.

This resulted in a period of rapid growth and goal achievement. I was rewarded with several promotions, increased salary, and additional growth opportunities. Just by embracing Mindful Leadership, I was able to move up in the organization and build a resume of really cool projects.

2) Unlock Your Superpower

As my productivity increased, I quickly discovered where I was falling short. It’s amazing how you begin to notice your weaknesses once you start gaining momentum.

Instead of allowing my fears and weaknesses to hold me back. I dove deeper into my practice of Mindful Leadership. This is where the real work of Mindful Leadership begins.

Through a period of self-awareness and deep introspection, I discovered the reactive behaviours and limiting beliefs that were preventing me from taking my career and life to the next level.

To understand my weakness, I opened myself up to feedback. I used the tools of mindfulness to develop an awareness of the habits and behaviours that were keeping me stuck.

During this period, I was also able to uncover my natural talents, which enabled me to identify and develop my core strengths. By leveraging my strengths, I was able to accelerate my pace of learning, build self-confidence, and unlock my superpower.

3) Art of Influence

It’s impossible to survive in the workplace without developing the skill of influence. According to Dan Pink, author of “To Sell Is Human,” people spend about 40 percent of their time at work engaged in persuading, influencing, convincing, and moving others.

Unfortunately, reactive leaders rely on intimidation, force, coercion, and other forms of negative influence techniques to achieve their objectives.

What I enjoy about Mindful Leadership, is that it focuses on developing our natural ability to connect and influence through empathy and compassion.

When we take the time to truly listen, develop rapport, and view the world from the perspective of others, it greatly enhances our ability to overcome resistance and drive change.

By using the techniques of Mindful Leadership, I’ve been able to influence the direction of my career, to build a quality professional network, find mentors to help me on my journey, and develop the skills of coaching and team building.

4) Manage Stress and Anxiety

As you take on more and more responsibilities, stepping further out of your comfort zone, you will experience stress and anxiety. The secret is learning how to manage it.

Mindful Leadership gives you the tools to manage stress and anxiety effectively. The secret can be found in my favourite quote by Victor Frankl – “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is the power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.“

When I first heard this quote, there was no gap. I was suffering from emotional hijacks, outbursts of rage, panic attacks, and was on the road to burnout.

The core practice of Mindful Leadership is about pausing, to widen the gap between stimulus and response, which lays the foundation of ALL other leadership qualities.

When you embrace the practice of Mindful Leadership, you learn to manage stress, anxiety and other strong emotions. With practice, you learn to stay calm under pressure, shorten your recovery time from emotional hijacks, and to bounce back from setbacks quickly.

5) Clarity of Purpose

This one surprised me.

I’ve always had goals. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been trying to achieve something. Getting through school, landing my first job, climbing the corporate ladder, where all attempts to find purpose and meaning.

Like most people, I had made the mistake of thinking that activity was purpose. It wasn’t until I started practicing empathy and compassion, both core skills of Mindful Leadership, that I truly began to connect with my purpose.

In the later stages of The Mindful Leaders Journey, I discovered that purpose and legacy are not about achieving personal goals. You only find meaning in your work when your goals include others.

If you find that your life lacks purpose and meaning, look to be of service to others, to begin walking the path of a Mindful Leader, and you will start taking your first steps toward building a life of purpose and meaning.

Summary

I first started walking the path of a Mindful Leader for selfish reasons. I was looking for something to help me survive the challenges of the modern workplace, something to give me an edge.

During this journey, I have unlocked my superpower, learned the art of influence, and discovered the to secret to keeping my stress and anxiety in check.

What surprised me is that along the way is that I discovered meaning and purpose by helping others walk the same path. I am both humbled and honoured to those that have trusted me with the responsibility to provide coaching and guidance as we both work on purpose.

What is your reason for walking the path of a Mindful Leader? Post is in the comments below and I will be sure to respond.