Maria Gonzalez Blog
Mindful Leadership

Mindful Leadership in Action – Tip of the Week

To be Mindful is not to be detached from the world, but rather to be fully engaged in the world – a part of everything and co-creating life.

Being a Mindful leader requires presence of mind, full engagement with everyone and everything.  A way to practice this several times a day is to be fully present when you are with another person.  Whether in a meeting, sharing a meal, or casually bumping into someone, be fully there.  Have you ever noticed how some people interact with you as if you are the most important person in the world?  They are not looking around to see if someone more interesting has come into the room.  These people are rare.  But, we tend to remember these interactions and these people because they make us feel like we matter.

A way to make this actionable is to listen to the sound of their voice and to look them in the eye.  When your mind wanders, which it will, (that’s normal at first) just come right back to that voice.  With practice you will find that you become more and more present and a better listener.  The result is often that you have a more enriching interaction and that you get things done more quickly.  People tend to be more forthcoming if they know you are listening and consequently, you are given more information.  As a leader, information is critical to your success.