An Exploration of Mindfulness Practices and Leadership

Dorothy A. Sisk

doi:10.4236/ce.2018.99097

Abstract

This article explores the use of mindfulness practices in a leadership program, and highlights two major contributors to the development of mindfulness, Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk and Dr. Jon Kabat Zinn, a physician. Selected mindfulness programs are reviewed, and a research study integrates mindfulness practices in a leadership program, and the effect of mindfulness practices on student leadership is discussed with results and conclusions.

Highlights

Gandhi’s words remind us that we are our own agents of change
Mindfulness strategies can reduce anxiety and stress, and most importantly, they can calm the “monkey mind” of adolescents and encourage them to risk-take being a leader (Siegel, 2014). We found that it was important for the staff, teachers and students to approach the use of mindfulness with an open-heart, present moment, and nonjudgmental awareness
The teachers were able to gain greater understanding of the power and purpose of the teenage brain of high achieving and gifted students by practicing the deep listening activities of mindfulness and the students benefited from the personalized attention to their leadership development

Summary

Introduction

Gandhi’s words remind us that we are our own agents of change. Mindfulness is not a new idea since William James in Principles of Psychology (James, 1950) said, “The faculty of voluntarily bringing back a wandering attention, over and over again, is the very root of judgment, character and will.” (p. 424). Mindfulness is not a new idea since William James in Principles of Psychology (James, 1950) said, “The faculty of voluntarily bringing back a wandering attention, over and over again, is the very root of judgment, character and will.” This is mindfulness, and James continued, “an education which should improve this faculty would be the education par excellence” The definition that I find most useful is that of Hakala (2008). He defines leadership as the ability to get others to willingly follow. Hakala identified nine characteristics that demonstrate leadership qualities: integrity, dedication, magnanimity, humility, openness, creativity, fairness, assertiveness, and a sense of humor

Methods

Results

Conclusion