The events of the last year have been stressful for all of us with our lives, businesses and, potentially, incomes all affected by the restrictions in place to limit the spread of Covid-19.
However, the anxiety this creates diminishes the qualities we need to cultivate in order to lead effectively – a point made in a recent article in Harvard Business Review by Matthias Birk, Vice President of Leadership Development at Goldman Sachs.
He recommends meditation as an important antidote to the stresses and anxieties that leaders will inevitably feel at times of crisis, quoting the late Apple founder, Steve Jobs:
“You start to see things more clearly and be in the present more. Your mind just slows down, and you see a tremendous expanse in the moment. You see so much more than you could see before.”
Matthias Birk goes on to recommend that leaders meditate first thing in the morning, begin meetings with moments of meditation and use it to escape “unproductive thought patterns”.
He goes on to conclude that mediation is “an opportunity to show compassion and care in difficult times, an opportunity to show your team and organization who you are as a leader.”
There are a wide range of resources out there to help you get started with mediation, including apps like Headspace and Calm, as well as books, websites and classes.
Link: Why Leaders Need Mediation Now More Than Ever
