ODA Conference

22 October, 2009

Mindful Leadership
Professor Amanda Sinclair Melbourne Business School

The need for new ways of doing and thinking about leadership

Leadership as it is understood and practised seems to enslave people leader and led Never have so many labored so long to say so little Bennis, W. (1989) Leadership often harnessed to questionable corporate or exploitative goals lost sight of purposes to which leadership put McDonaldized discourses: predictable and banal Power, history and dark sides removed from most leadership accounts

What is mindfulness?

In The Greater Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness, the Buddha said that becoming mindful of body, feelings and mind objects is the path to happiness and liberation The practice of mindfulness is simply to bring awareness into each moment of our livesincluding

stopping
becoming aware of what we are thinking and doing and the consequences of our actions Thich Nhat Hanh, 2003

Paying attention (to what is happening now rather than preoccupied with thoughts, plans, fears), without judgement (not evaluating self or others) Jon Kabat-Zinn, 1994

Research informing mindful leadership

Neuroscience and evidence about qualities of attention, the plasticity of the mind and behavioural and intelligence outcomes (Schwarz 2006; Doidge 2008; Greenfield 2008) Leadership and organisational change research looking at presencing and the power of leaders who can initiate deeper dialogue and tap in the present to future potential (Senge et.al. 2004; Scharmer 2007) Evidence on stress aimed at helping leaders reduce their reactivity and focus energies where it really matters and makes a difference (Hassed; Schwartz 2007) Happiness studies and positive psychology work (Seligman) Mindfulness research including MBCT and MBSR (mindfulness based cognitive therapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction) (Kabat-Zinn 1994) Philosophical work focusing on eg consciousness studies

Psychological Psychiatric Medical

Neuroscience Brain Science

Positive Psychology Happiness at work, resilience Business Leadership & Management

Mindful Leadership
Mindfulness, KabatZinn, therapies eg MBSR, MBCT, ACT -definitions/ understandings -practices -developing/teaching -researching

Spirituality Wellbeing Gawler Foundation

Coaching for Cognitive Fitness High Performance Management Stress management

Meditative Traditions Buddhism, Yoga

A different view of Leaderships role

It is the task of the leader to create (an organisation) with a strong and warm heart and to see things as they really are
(His Holiness the Dalai Lama 2008: 67).

Bringing mindfulness to leadership

Enables deep focused attention to what is really going on and what really matters Enhances presence and authenticity therefore mobilises others Reduces stress responses and reactivity Fosters deep appreciative listening others feel heard and acknowledged Encourages letting go of old patterns and habits, understanding role of ego and connecting to deeper purpose and bigger self (identity work) Opens to creativity and helps leaders find joy in their leadership work

Strategies of mindfulness
Mindfulness provides ways to react to thoughts differently, for example insert a momentary psychic distance between oneself and a thought instead of just reacting or being captured by it note the thought actively let it go; or take the time to understand where it has come from and how it is functioning without getting caught up in it.

Enhancing mindfulness by
S
T O P

Stop what you are doing

Take a breath Observe (body, mind sensations) Proceed
Source: Fisher, T. (2005) Beginners mind: cultivating mediator mindfulness ACResolution

Eight Mindful Tasks

Adapted from Hassed (2002) Know Thyself

Observe habits of perception: ropes not snakes Letting go and acceptance Presence of mind Noticing limitations we create for ourselves Listening to others rather than our ourselves Attend willingly to present situation Notice negative emotions and allow natural pleasure and joyfulness Notice our own happiness inextricably linked to others, experiment with kindness & gratitude

Mindful Leadership
Intent/Purpose
-what/who is my leadership for? -as leaders what are we influencing others towards? -leadership connected to purpose and values -providing bigger picture/balcony perspective

Reflective/ Less Ego

-identity work -knowing oneself to free oneself from oneself/excess of ego -a way of leading not captured by need to assert/defend self

Presence

Connection

-valuing the present as well as working to goals -less judgemental of self and others -working with breath & body -finding joy in leading

-Active listening, being open, available -reflective/generative dialogue -non-instrumental ways of being with others, paying attention to inter-subjectivity

Amanda Sinclair