a sinclair mindful leadership

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ODA Conference22 October, 2009

Mindful Leadership

Professor Amanda Sinclair

Melbourne Business School



The need for new ways of doingand thinking about leadership

Leadership as it is understood and practised seems toenslave people – leader and led

‘Never have so many labored so long to say so little’

Bennis, W. (1989)

Leadership often harnessed to questionable corporate orexploitative goals – lost sight of purposes to whichleadership put

McDonaldized discourses: predictable and banal

Power, history and dark sides removed from mostleadership accounts



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 theirreactivity and focus energies where it really matters and makes adifference (Hassed; Schwartz 2007)

Happiness studies and positive psychology work (Seligman)

Mindfulness research including MBCT and MBSR (mindfulnessbased cognitive therapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction)(Kabat-Zinn 1994)

Philosophical work focusing on eg consciousness studies



Mindful Leadership-definitions/ understandings-practices-developing/teaching-researching

PsychologicalPsychiatricMedical

Neuroscience

Brain Science

Positive PsychologyHappiness at work,

resilience

Mindfulness, Kabat-Zinn, therapies egMBSR, MBCT, ACT

SpiritualityWellbeingGawler Foundation

Meditative TraditionsBuddhism, Yoga

BusinessLeadership &Management

Coaching forCognitive FitnessHigh PerformanceManagementStress management



Bringing mindfulness to leadership

Enables deep focused attention to what isreally going on and what really matters

Enhances presence and authenticitytherefore 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 andconnecting 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 thoughtsdifferently, 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 comefrom and how it is functioning without gettingcaught up in it.



Enhancing mindfulness by

S Stop what you are doing

T Take a breath

O Observe (body, mind sensations)

P Proceed

Source: Fisher, T. (2005) ‘Beginner’s mind: cultivating

mediator mindfulness’ ACResolution



Eight Mindful TasksAdapted 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 naturalpleasure and joyfulness

Notice our own happiness inextricably linked to

others, experiment with kindness & gratitude

a sinclair mindful leadership

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