Maria Gonzalez Blog
Mindful Leadership

Mindful Leadership in Action – Tip of the Week – Most Things Are Not as They Appear

As I mentioned in previous posts, hindrances are what it is to be human.  So if you see them rear their ugly head, reflect on whether they are negatively impacting your life.  If they are not, just be aware.  If they are, then you have the opportunity and choice to make a change for the better.

Take the time, periodically throughout the day, to notice if you are attached or fixated on a belief, judgment or view of the world or a person.  If you are, notice your behaviour.  If they are speaking with you, are you still listening to them? Are you anticipating what they will say next? Are you second guessing their work unnecessarily or the value of what they are saying?  Very often being aware is all it takes.  However, if that is not enough, you need to actively work to maintain a sense of openness or equanimity.

You need to consider that you may be completely correct in your assessment or you may be partially or completely wrong.  As a leader can you risk that?

Know that most things are not as they appear.  Your truth may be no more correct than their truth.  You can use inquiry to ask yourself, “Can I be certain of this?” If the answer is, no, then just stay present.  Be aware of how your biases can be mistaken for fact.

A palindrome is a good example of how things are not as they appear and how if we don’t see clearly we get the wrong message.  The one below is particularly striking.  The video clip is just 1 minute and 44 seconds but is pretty powerful and brilliant.  Thanks to Cathy Langdon for sharing this.

A “palindrome” reads the same backwards as forward. This video reads the exact opposite backwards as forward. Not only does it read the opposite, the meaning is the exact opposite. Be sure to read as well as listen…forward and backward. The video won second place in a contest entitled “u @ 50” by AARP and was submitted by a 20-year old.
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=42E2fAWM6rA