mindfulness for personal resilience

Mindfulness for Personal Resilience

by Meg Salter

Mindfulness for Personal Resilience with Meg Salter


by Meg Salter

Volatile – nature, speed, dynamics of change

Uncertain – lack of predictability, surprises

Complex – multiplex of variables, inside and outside

Ambiguous– haziness, mixed meanings

VUCA Times


by Meg Salter

Scope of the Leadership Challenge

The Aware Leader

• Beliefs on leadership

• Values, motivations

• Worthwhile goals

• Cognition and emotion (IQ, EQ, SQ)

• # perspectives available

• Self leadership, self regulation

The Action Oriented Leader

• Visible behaviours

• Results & deliverables

• Task and performance management

• Knowledge, behavioural competencies

• Personal health & energy

The Collective Leader

• Shared history, values

• Group processes/norms for decision-making, problem-solving, conflict

• Team dynamics & communications

• Interpersonal relationships

• Develop and enable others

The Context Leader

• Social contribution

• Work complexity

• Tools, resources, technology

• Structure, process , strategy, governance, roles

• Stakeholder engagement

• External representation

Full Span ™ Leadership


by Meg Salter

Self Leadership for Personal Resilience

• Requires the ability to

pause and be aware of

own beliefs,

assumptions

• Requires the ability to

be aware of emotions

and choose how to

enact them

• Cognitive agility; re-

frame and see new

possibilities when

encountering setbacks

• Emotional resilience;

respond skilfully when

emotions are running

strong

Elements:


by Meg Salter

What we don’t know drives us

Developed by Joe Stelliga, Human Capital Inc., based on work of Reivich & Shatte, The Resilience Factor.

3 general iceberg beliefs around:

• acceptance

•achievement

•control

Create gap

between

stimulus &

response


by Meg Salter

Essence of Agility Practices

Focus

• Pause

• Pay attention

• Be calm, curious

• Observe mindfully

Step back

• Ask questions

• Notice something new

• Investigate own/ others mental assumptions, emotional responses

Gain a broader, deeper view

• Re-frame context

• Broader understanding of stakeholders

• Deeper analysis of issues

• Insight into creative solutions

Re-engage, take action

• Focus on critical tasks

• Enhance presence in conversations

• Deal with personal stress or difficult emotions


by Meg Salter

“From One Who’s Been There”

• “The main business case for meditation is that if

you’re fully present on the job, you will be more

effective as a leader, you will make better decisions

and you will work better with other people. I tend to

live a very busy life. This keeps me focused on

what’s important.”

William George, former CEO Medtronic, Board Member Goldman Sachs


by Meg Salter

What is Mindfulness?

• The skill of paying

extraordinary attention to

ordinary things

• Become more attentive and

conscious of what is

happening in any given

moment

• Mental training – analogous

to physical training

• Can be incorporated into

every aspect of living

• Trainable skill with 3

components: concentration,

clarity, equanimity

Mindful Awareness

Concentration

Clarity

Equanimity


by Meg Salter

Research

• Growing subfield of neurological research

• Demonstrable changes in brain and body

• Brain:

physical alterations, enlarge functional circuits in regions

that control attention and process sensory signals from the

outside

Modulation of alpha rhythms (Harvard Medical School)

• Body: relaxation response includes changes in metabolism,

heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and brain chemistry.

• Meta analysis (2004) found consistent results of alleviated

suffering associated with physical, psychosomatic and

psychiatric disorders

• Observable positive impact on people with stress related health

conditions, both physical & mental health measures

• Regularly used in clinical/ hospital settings


by Meg Salter

Benefits of Mindfulness

• Sense of calm,

reduced stress

• Creates a gap of

awareness between

stimulus and

response

• Reveals our

iceberg beliefs

• Permits choice,

personal

empowerment

Personal

• Physical Health: immune system, blood pressure, cardio, chronic pain,

• Mental Health: cognitive processing, memory, ability to learn

• Emotional Health: decreased anxiety, regulated emotions

Professional

• Stay focused on key tasks

• Work better under pressure

• Anticipate & engage with clients, stakeholders

• Creative problem solving

Team

• Effective listening and speaking

• Conflict resolution

• Collaboration on joint goals


by Meg Salter

Where to practice

Formal practice Sport/ exercise Daily challenges


by Meg Salter

Some basics for mindfulness training...

• Pick a focus of attention

• Direct your awareness to that

point of focus

• Let other things be in the

background

• When your awareness wanders

off, gently redirect it

• Bring a matter of fact, non-

judging attitude

• Be clear about what is going on


by Meg Salter

Mindful Speaking & Listening

Listening – completely

listening to the speaker,

observing the speaker, the

reactions of others to the

speaker

Speaking – very aware of the

way in which you

communicate

Exercise:

• Listening in silence

• Paired exercise

Remember the gift of the silent pause!

mindfulness for personal resilience

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