Cultivating mindfulness as an individual is important for any leader. It will shape you to become a conscious leader that your colleagues will respect and trust. But compassionate leadership will not go that far if you are the only one who practices mindfulness. It must trickle down to everyone in your organization if you want it to become part of your organizational culture.
What Is Mindfulness?
It is a psychological state that can be described as being present, focusing on internal and external stimuli without evaluating, analyzing, or judging it. An example of this would be listening and absorbing everything being discussed in a lecture or meeting where is common to discuss frequent business valuation questions.
Why It Matters In The Workplace
You may have heard of others talking about mindfulness in the context of personal relationships or mental health. But it also has a role in the workplace. In fact, encouraging employees to practice mindfulness could bring about numerous benefits, such as:
• Increased focus and task commitment
• Adaptability
• Increased motivation
• Improved social relationships
• Job satisfaction
Individuals who practice mindfulness are more likely to stay with an organization for a long time, have realistic work goals, and develop better relationships with their colleagues. They have more potential at becoming mindful leaders themselves.
Cultivating Mindfulness In Your Organization
The best way to encourage employees to embrace mindfulness is to lead by example. Show them that you, the organization’s leader, are practicing it. Your organization should invest toward teaching employees and providing them with tools to practice mindfulness. Here are some things you can do to cultivate it in your organization:
• Talk about it. Mindfulness may be a foreign concept to many, so it would help to talk about the concept with them. It would be worthwhile to also discuss why you think the organization needs it and what you expect out of mindfulness. Be open about your goals with your employees.
• Have a short mindfulness session. Give your employees a taste of mindfulness. Introduce them to it through a short session with an experienced practitioner, and then give them the option to join the mindfulness training. When people are given the option to say “yes,” they are more likely to sustain the practice.
• Conduct mindfulness training. Tailor one that suits your organization’s schedules in a way that does not impede on your employees’ work responsibilities and personal lives.
• Create a designated “quiet space.” Encourage your employees to practice mindfulness daily. It can be difficult to meditate, for instance, on your work table. Giving your employees a space where they can completely detach from work for a while and be mindful will encourage them to sustain the practice.
• Integrate mindfulness practices into your organizational culture. There are numerous ways to do this. For example, you could encourage employees to take breaks when they completely detach from work, pause for a few minutes between long meetings, and incorporate mindfulness activities at the start of meetings. You can also make Gemstone Mala Owl Tiger Eye and Lemon Topaz and other mala beads available in your meditation room.
Being A Mindful Leader
As the leader, it would be beneficial for employees to see you practicing mindfulness. Ask yourself: Are you taking breaks? Are you being mindful in your decisions? Are you coping well with stress?
You could also demonstrate your own mindfulness in your organization’s journey toward being mindful. You will find that not all employees will easily welcome the concept and practice. At Technalink, even among those who are open to it needed to be introduced to it slowly. It will take time for mindfulness to become part of your organizational culture, so be patient no matter how challenging it can be at times.
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