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A Leadership Game Changer That’s Both Ancient and Innovative (Plus Five Apps to Help You Get Started)

The Bailey Group | July 7, 2015 | Blog | Leadership/Other | 3 minute read

meditatingmanIn the world of leaders and leadership development, we talk a lot about what a great leader looks like—skills, characteristics, accomplishments—but how is a better leader built? That question is being answered in more innovative ways than ever before and in the push to stay relevant, leaders are turning to creative approaches to grow their leadership impact. One such approach is the practice of mindfulness and meditation. Not surprisingly, when introducing leaders to the general concept of mindfulness and its multitude of benefits, their reactions reflect skepticism and awkwardness. However, it is arguably the most impactful tool a leader can have to accomplish her/his leadership and business objectives.

In my personal effort to bring everyone around to the enlightened side, here is some basic information around the what, who, why, when and how of this ancient and yet avant-garde approach to becoming a better leader.

What? Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, defines mindfulness as “paying attention on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally, to the unfolding of experience moment to moment.” My hunch is that definitions like this one fall short for most people. How do you put into words a concept that needs to be experienced and practiced in order to fully understand and feel its benefits? Two words: Trust me. And if I haven’t convinced you yet, keep reading.

Who? Here’s a list of just a handful of respected and successful leaders who use mindfulness to get the job done: Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff; Ford Motor Company Executive Chairman and CEO Bill Ford; hedge fund extraordinaire and Bridgewater Associates Founder and Co-CIO Ray Dalio; media guru Arianna Huffington; News Corp Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch; and of course, Oprah (no title necessary). Making an even bigger statement at an organizational level—Google, Ford, General Mills and McKinsey all actively promote meditation in the workplace by offering onsite courses and workshops to teach employees the importance of mindfulness, as well as dedicated time to meditate.

Why? This is the most important question to answer. Mindfulness is the ultimate antidote to autopilot. Who wants to live life and do work by going through the motions? Ever gotten in your car and driven home only to arrive and realize you have no recollection of the actual ride and anything you thought, saw or heard along the way? That’s not just scary, that’s depressing. Wake up. Please.

Mindfulness also helps you identify ways in which you are repeatedly applying the same solution or approach to the same problem—eliciting the same unsatisfying outcome each time. What assumptions are you making about a direct report that affect how you interact? Are there people you work with who bring out the worse in you every time, with every interaction? Remember the saying, you can never control how other people act, but you can always control your reaction? Mindfulness should be at the root of all your reactions.

Other benefits of mindfulness include stress reduction, increased productivity, focus, patience, compassion and composure, mental calm and creativity. Even better? A sustained meditation practice is scientifically proven to increase neuroplasticity and grey matter—directly impacting brain functions such as learning and memory, self-awareness, empathy and compassion.

When? Mindfulness is a daily practice and a lifelong journey, not an event to try out once. Consistency is key to experiencing the most benefits. Start by meditating five minutes once each day, every day and see where you can go from there.

How? If you’ve made it this far, you’ve reached the fun part. Lucky for you, there’s no need to visit a Buddhist temple to make meditation and mindfulness a reality. Here are five smartphone apps to get you started:

  1. Headspace: Meditate in just 10 minutes a day. This app uses podcasts to guide you through modern meditations and includes a visually engaging dashboard to track your progress.
  2. Calm: This app boasts a seven step meditative process that can help you reduce anxiety, feel better and create great ideas. It uses beautiful imagery, music and narration to help you find your happy place.
  3. Omvana: This is lauded as the life coach of meditation apps. Along with learning to relax and meditate, you’ll sharpen your ability to focus on your work and develop a goal-oriented mindset, as well as feel inspired to live in the moment.
  4. GPS for the Soul: Built on the premise of HeartMath biofeedback technology, this app uses your phone’s flash and camera lens to measure your stress levels then invites you to course correct through music, poetry, breathing, pictures of loved ones and more.
  5. Stop, Think, and Breathe: Recipient of the 2015 Webby People’s Choice Award, STB prompts people to check in physically, mentally and spiritually and then offers three guided meditations between five and 10 minutes long. The app was designed to be integrated easily into your everyday routine and aims to help people feel more grounded, happier and calmer.