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Hold the Magic (a lesson in mindful leadership)

December 20th, 2011

Happy holidays! It’s a time when we look with wonder upon the world, open our hearts, and give to others. Three mindful leadership practices you can use to hold the magic of the season throughout the new year: 

1. Count your blessings, literally. Dr. Anees Sheikh, professor in the Department of Psychology at Marquette University, has conducted years of research on gratitude and joy. Sheikh says that if you reflect on your blessings each day, quietly and vividly imagining and feeling those blessings, it can transform your whole relationship with others, with work and with the world at large. The process has been shown to promote a shift from feelings of powerlessness, helplessness and martyrdom to opportunity seeking and increased resilience. A small investment for a big payoff! 

2. Adopt a practice that enables you to be a more attentive and mindful leader— daily reflection and/or contemplation, meditation, yoga and journaling are some of the more popular. 

3. Stop hiding from yourself. The capacity to say one thing and do another is a well-studied phenomenon. Chris Argyis’ theories espoused and theories in practice describes our capacity to say one thing and do another. Instead of holding ourselves up to ethical scrutiny, it’s much easier to drop the insight (and the associated discomfort). Instead, learn to sit with the feeling, understand its lesson, and take another step that rights you and the world around you. 

May the warmth of friends and family hold you throughout the year. May the joy that you experience over the next few weeks bring a smile to your face and heart today and for days to come. May the true and good person that you are at home, follow you into work and grace your new year!

Rosaria (Ria) Hawkins, PhD
Take Charge Consultants, Inc.