Presence of Mind
Presence of mind, or mindfulness as it is commonly referred to, is an essential skill for leaders. In fact, leaders who have not developed the ability to make good decisions and to act quickly and calmly in challenging situations, have a negative impact on their direct reports, which in turn contaminate the subordinate teams who do the work. This manifests as the unconscious organization where people live on autopilot and in a perpetual state of reactive fire-fighting.
Benefits of Mindful Awareness
Mindfulness enables people to become more aware of their thoughts and emotions, allowing them to manage stress more effectively. By training the mind to focus on the present moment, people improve their ability to concentrate. Non-judgmental awareness of oneself and others leads to improved communication, empathy, and compassion in the work environment. By cultivating a non-reactive awareness of difficult experiences, people are more resilient to setbacks and adapt to change more effectively.
Lean Thinking Through Present-Moment Awareness
The key is integrating these practices into daily work routines and creating systems that reinforce specific behaviors that foster presence and focus on what’s right in front of us – here and now. What may be most surprising and encouraging is the positive impact these practices have on productivity, communication, problem-solving, and lean thinking.
Mindfulness Training for Improved Performance
We introduce simple but highly effective mindfulness techniques to you and your team and let you witness the amazing effect. These techniques have been validated in countless organizations and functional areas. Companies actively benefiting from presence-of-mind practices include IBM, Aetna, Nike, General Mills, Google, Apple, and Goldman Sachs.