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Mindful Leadership:Unlocking Insight, Potential and Change

IPMA-HR Eastern RegionTraining and Development Conference

September 19-22, 2010

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

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Objectives

Learn what mindful leadership is and why it’s so important

Use a mindful approach to feedback

Tap into mindful processes for promoting change

Identify 2-3 things you can do to operate more mindfully

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Identify 2 challenges or instances where you believe there’s the opportunity for learning, growth, and change

1. Someone who is in need of some feedback

2. Someone and/or a group that you would like to see more aligned with a recent or upcoming change

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The capacity to be deeply aware and open; to experience the present moment, despite what is going on within and around you, in a way that is characterized by openness, curiosity and acceptance

What is mindfulness?

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Mindless in Baltimore

There are three roles: Two players and a recorder. You may switch roles after several rounds of play if you choose.

Players alternate play. You will be playing Audio Tic Tac Toe.

A1 B1 C1

A2 B2 C2

A3 B3 C3

Form groups of three Introduce yourself to your

partners Each group of three needs a

pencil or pen (NOTHING ELSE)

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Mindless in Baltimore: Scoring Recorder holds grid so that players cannot see it – and

notes the moves.

Recorder does NOT say anything until all boxes are filled, someone loses, or someone incorrectly claims victory.

You win according to the rules of regular tic-tac-toe (3 boxes in a row, column or diagonally) when you announce your win.

You lose if you Place your symbol in a box that is already occupied Incorrectly claim victory Get 3 of your symbols in a straight line and fail to claim victory

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Mindless in Baltimore: Discussion Questions

What were your reactions during the initial rounds of play?

What was your greatest challenge?

What one thing most contributed to your success?

What does this activity tell you about mindfulness?

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The world is stable

Smarts are the key to everything

Everything can be figured out or made into a formula

E = mc2

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The world is not fixedWe live in a world of constant change

Smarts aren’t all they’re cracked up to be

It’s not about logic

It’s more about the process than the brains

It’s about the people

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Mindful Leaders excel in that world

Mindful leader: A leader who is accepting, curious, and humble and who selflessly and compassionately connects with others in a desire to bring about the best and/or promote change.

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What are the steps for giving feedback?

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ALLOW and ASK

If necessary: Point out situation and restate what happened (no reaction, no impact on you, no suggestions)

Ask questions:Event: What happened?Actions: What did you do? Intent: What impact were you hoping to have?Outcomes: What outcome did you get? Did you get what you needed/wanted? At what cost?Impact: On self? Others? Me?Source: What’s driving that behavior?Change: What will you do moving forward?

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ALLOW and ASK .If necessary: Point out situation and restate what happened (no reaction, no impact on you, no suggestions)

Ask questions:Event: What happened?Actions: What did you do? Intent: What impact were you hoping to have?Outcomes: What outcome did you get? Did you get

what you needed/wanted? At what cost?Impact: On self? Others? Me?Source: What’s driving that behavior?Change: What will you do moving forward?

5 min.Scenario #1

What questions do you need to ask to

unlock change? Develop a series that ends with a “change” question.

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ALLOW and ASK: The Pathway to Accountability

ChangeSourceImpact

Outcomes

IntentActionsEvent

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What are the steps for creating or leading change?

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Take Two

Find two people Take two minutes Come up with at least two responses:

Think about a situation where you needed to change and were not ready, convinced, eager, etc. What caused you to move forward?

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We need to move from Strategizing and Inspiring

to Sensemaking and Action Taking

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Change and its implementation is all about conversations Sensemaking at the emotional level

Sensemaking at the idea level

Sensemaking leads to action taking

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You have the power

To convene To set the agenda To invite To pose the questions

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Sparking the Conversation

What meetings do you need to have?

What questions do you need to ask to help people understand where you are and where you could be heading? (sensemaking)

Questions about emotions Questions about ideas

What conversations do you need to start?

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Moving from Strategizing and Inspiring to Sensemaking and Action Taking

New options

and

possibilities

(act)New world

(readiness &

fit)

Sensemaking

(think)

Conversation

(talk)

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Change the conversation and the world changes

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Receiving Feedback

Ask for it based on your “discomfort” Give the other a permission slip by acknowledging

your awareness Stay in the moment when receiving it – pay

attention to your reaction (it should inform you, not drive you)

Show gratitude Sit with it to determine how best to use it

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Action Planning: Building on Your Strengths

Group task Go to one of your three highest rated items. No

more than seven people per flipchart. ID three things above and beyond what’s listed on

the handout that someone could do to be stronger in that area

Individual task Look at lowest rated item or two. What three

actions can you take to become even stronger?

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What happens outwardly in your life is not as important as what happens inside you.