In the last few weeks, my work with clients has focused on teams. In particular, working with leaders who want their staff to think like a team, to let go of silo mentality, and to see that their work is larger than them.
All difficult and challenging issues for humans to overcome. But, why is that?
As a mindful leader, to make any change happen, we always start with self. Answer YES or NO to the following questions:
- Do I do whatever it takes to defend the survival of my job identity, work team or work department?
- Do I find fault with others but am blind to what’s happening in my department?
- Do I limit my view to my team or department and ignore what’s happening in others?
- Do I sometimes fail to see how my team or department impacts my organization’s purpose?
If you answered YES to any of the questions, then accept yourself for being where you are, without judgement. Congratulations, you just engaged in the mindfulness practices of self-awareness, acceptance, and being nonjudgmental. You are being truthful without drama, despair, defensiveness or feeling sorry for yourself. These emotions serve as food for resistance and toxic fear.
Mindful leaders find great value to question one’s thoughts and beliefs, to reveal than conceal, to say what is true for me. This is the first and most important step to creating a work environment of acceptance and trust to build a team. As the mindful leader, you take the first step to be vulnerable, to say what is true for you and to be the person whom others can express themselves with candor.