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When I think of mindful leadership, what comes to mind is being real, raw and present. It's leading from a place of honesty and moment-to-moment connection with the person or group in front of me. There's no planned strategy or rehearsed response — just a curious, open presence. This allows me to engage from the gut, to answer in ways that feel authentic.
Over the years, I've developed a few mindful leadership practices that have transformed my management style and had a profound impact on our company culture.
1. Start your day grounded, not rushed
I begin my day with an early morning sadhana, which is my dedicated time for yoga and meditation. As a non-negotiable part of my routine, I intentionally surrender my ego before I step into the day. This practice keeps me humble and grounded, allowing me to approach leadership from a place of service rather than control.
Instead of feeling superior or assuming I have all the answers, I connect with myself so I can connect genuinely with others. This practice has helped me set the tone of how I want to show up as a leader—calm, centered, and present.
This grounding directly translates into approaching a meeting or a tough decision. My presence alone can change the atmosphere in the room, which typically creates room for more honest communication and teamwork. Instead of rushing into answers, we stand back, inhale, and evaluate the subject matter from multiple perspectives. This strategy seems unusual, particularly in a hectic company setting, but for my team and me, it has been relatively effective.
Related: Why Leaders Must Learn the Art of Patience
2. Team-building retreats
I prioritize personal and professional growth retreats for myself and my team to cultivate heightened self-awareness. Such immersive environments facilitate our escape from daily routines, fostering collective growth and introspection. In my experience, the environment cultivated during retreats engenders vulnerability and candor rarely achievable within conventional office settings. These retreats catalyze shared developmental experiences, bringing the team closer to one another and forging profound connections.
One of the most critical events in my journey as a leader came through teaching English in Asia. You see, I am dyslexic, and I have always battled insecurities about spelling, reading, and writing. I had carried this anxiety my entire life, one that frequently kept me from completely seizing opportunities.
After contemplation, I bought a one-way ticket to Thailand. I was determined to teach English despite my insecurities. After a month of pounding the pavement, I landed an audition at a language school. The subject I was to teach — sports. I felt like a fraud, barely making it through the audition, but I pushed through and got the job. Over time, I became the school's teacher trainer, and that's when I shared my story with the former trainer. Facing my fear freed me, and it has become a lesson I practice daily—to go straight through the fear instead of around it.
Related: The 7 Differences Between Mindful and Maniacal Leadership
3. Admit your mistakes
Leaders naturally fall into the trap of believing they must have all the solutions. Admitting mistakes and embracing openness, however, can be considerably more effective than trying to present a perfect image. I own my mistakes. I do not act as though I know everything. I keep silent if I have nothing important to share. When you make a mistake, announce it. Discuss what you could do differently next time. This shows that it's okay to learn through mistakes and sets a tone of continuous improvement for the team.
Recently, my team completed an experience training meant to promote both career and personal development. The idea of synergy—where 1+1=3, which means we could accomplish more collectively than we could each separately was among the main takeaways. This concept was put into use this week when the team had a tight project deadline. The team gathered quickly, developed a strategy, carried it out, and then reconvened to evaluate what went well and what did not. Ego was less present. Honesty about how best to contribute surfaced. A group consciousness about meeting and exceeding expectations is palpable.
Our shared language and self-awareness from the workshop helped us collaborate without ego or unnecessary friction. The process was invigorating for each member, and this energy was palpable in the client's feedback. This approach is a stark contrast to traditional leadership, which often emphasizes control, strategy, and ego-driven decision-making. Mindful leadership, by contrast, encourages openness and the prioritization of growth over perfection.
Related: How to Be a Mindful Leader Who is Resilient To Crises
4. Foster clear and honest communication
I speak plainly, no sugar-coating. It is not personal, but it is always based on results. Sometimes, reality can be hard to embrace, but clearly understanding the situation is crucial for making progress.
In conventional leadership, there is often a tendency to tiptoe around the truth or to soften feedback in a manner that lessens its impact. However, based on my experience, this approach tends to cause confusion and hinder progress.
I've observed that my team functions with greater trust and efficiency due to clear and direct communication. We focus on the tasks at hand and find ways to enhance our mutual support in reaching goals and moving the mission forward. This approach has greatly improved our operations and created a positive culture that values feedback as a chance for personal and professional development rather than mere criticism.
Throughout my leadership experience, I have seen the importance of mindful leadership. It requires a dedication to being fully engaged, authentic, and focused on personal and professional development. It's all about building a culture that prioritizes authenticity over superficiality and service over control. The journey is still unfolding, and the significant impact of leading with mindfulness is unquestionable - both for me and for the people I have the honor of leading.
