I was running a mentoring group the other day and we got into a discussion around how it’s not the big, grandiose things that make people mindful leaders. It’s the little things that you do, each day, that move the needle in someone else’s life to make a positive change. And, no matter what your title says, if you can positively influence someone else’s life, you are a leader. It’s about how you carry yourself and the actions you take — not what your business card says.
One thing you can do is to continually seek out the good in other people’s actions, and honor them for it. When you make people feel good about themselves it increases your ability to influence them. This isn’t about anything malicious — it’s about serving first. People want to be around others that make them feel safe, loved and needed in their presence. Think of the people who do that for you. You always want to be around them. Why? Because they are influencing your life in a positive way.
One way you can implement this is when a project or assignment doesn’t get done on time.
Most of us ask “Why isn’t this done? We’ve had this talk before.”
Instead, ask them, “How are you doing? How is everything at home?”
So many times it’s a result of their personal lives affecting their work life, which inhibits them from getting things done. Most of the time we have no idea what is going on in someone else’s life. They might have just ended a relationship they were in, had someone close to them injured in a car accident or stress with their family life. These don’t show up as bandages, like a cast, if someone were to break their arm. Those are obvious. Great leaders are able to see the unseen. Because mindful leaders assist people with their personal lives so they can flourish in their professional lives.
Of course, you can’t be expected to be someone’s therapist and lead your company at the same time. But, a part of leading your company is having the social awareness, developed through a mindfulness practice, to deploy empathy not just as a competitive advantage — but because it’s the right thing to do. When you treat people like this they aren’t going to want to leave. And, even if they do, they’ll be telling everyone how great it was to work for you.
