Mindfulness is slowly but surely gaining recognition as a helpful method and leadership tool in the business world. It is slowly becoming socially acceptable. And for good reason, as the benefits are manifold and scientifically proven. However, despite its increasing popularity, I still come across managers and executives who are still wary of it. It's as if they fear contracting an "esoteric" virus or being labelled a "wimp".
The packaging makes all the difference - if I offer a "body scan" instead of a "meditation" in team coaching sessions or team building workshops, people are more willing to give it a try. I have to say that my coaching sessions with executives and entrepreneurs are - still - strongly male-dominated groups that tend to lack contact with topics such as yoga, meditation and similar approaches (exceptions prove the rule, of course).
Ten years ago, the suggestion of meditating in team coaching or team building workshops would have caused an uproar and I would almost certainly no longer have been booked. Today, it is a tool that I regularly offer at the beginning of my coaching sessions or before team reflections, for example, to create a space of calm. I offer it as an experiment, as a light-footed "try it out" and "get involved", so that each participant can try it out for themselves to see if it works - and lo and behold, in the protected framework of (team) coaching, they are open to it.
The benefits of mindfulness training go far beyond preventing and reducing burnout. They provide a firm basis for decision-making. Mindfulness practices such as meditation strengthen the connection between the gut and the head - the centre of our experiences and our rational thinking. From this calm centre, information from all parts of the brain - conscious and unconscious - can be better integrated. When I am "with myself" and not "out of myself", I make more conscious decisions, a real advantage in a world where we are often pressed for time and don't have all the facts at our fingertips.
From a neuroscientific perspective, mindfulness supports the function of the prefrontal cortex, the region responsible for conscious thinking and planning. At the same time, it dampens the activity of the amygdala, known for triggering our stress response (early survival mechanism: freeze, fight, flight). This "calming" of the amygdala leads to reduced irritability and increased stress resistance, which is particularly important in leadership positions.
Agile transformations, which are now being introduced in many companies, also require an agile mindset in addition to agile tools. An "agile" mindset - also known as a growth mindset - sees change as an opportunity. This requires a willingness to open up to new perspectives. Courageously trying out new things, even if they don't fit into the previous world view, is more essential today than ever before. Companies such as Google, SAP and Sparda-Bank are already successfully integrating mindfulness into their day-to-day management.
Mindful leadership goes beyond simply understanding mindfulness - it is about integrating these principles into leadership and everyday organisational life. Leaders who practise mindfulness report increased clarity in their communication, improved focus and a deeper connection with their colleagues and teams.
Above all, there are 2 aspects that play a role here:
- Presence: Mindful leaders who are fully in the moment and with themselves are at the same time with their fellow decision-makers, customers and employees, which leads to more authentic and empathetic collaboration.
- Responsiveness instead of reactivity: By practising mindfulness, managers learn to react calmly to challenges instead of acting impulsively in "autopilot" mode.
New times and new challenges require new approaches (even if meditation is a millennia-old practice) - ones that were perhaps not even imaginable in the past.
True to the motto: "Mindful" or "mind full".
And here Two mindfulness exercises for managers:
- Mindful breathing meditation:
- Sit quietly for five minutes, close your eyes and concentrate only on your breath.
- Observe the rhythm of your inhalation and exhalation. When thoughts arise, notice them and gently direct your attention back to your breath. Personally, I find the image of the blue sky (our mind) helpful, with large and small clouds passing by and sometimes heavy cloud cover, but the blue sky is always there.
This practice helps to centre the mind and reduce stress, and promotes a calm approach to everyday leadership
- Walking meditation for meetings:
- Walk briskly for a few minutes before a meeting and consciously feel the contact between your feet and the floor.
- Pay attention to the movement of your body, the lifting and lowering of your feet, the fresh air as you breathe.
This form of meditation promotes physical and mental alertness and can provide clarity before making decisions.
