Mindfulness and Authentic Leadership Donald Davis, Ph.D. Donald Davis Mindfulness and Authentic Leadership

Leadership Lead others Lead self Goals: Do well in school to get good job or enter into careers, e.g., law school Fears: Burn out from stress/pressure, do poorly on admission exams, external factor such as job market Donald Davis Mindfulness and Authentic Leadership

Authentic Leadership Self-awareness and self-regulation—understand one’s own strengths, weaknesses and internal states, how others see one, how one sees others. “I seek feedback to improve interactions with others.” Transparency—openly share information and feelings as appropriate, share one’s true self. “I display emotions exactly in line with my feelings.” Ethical/moral—set high standards for moral and ethical conduct, internal moral and ethical standards guide self-regulation. “I make decisions based on my core values.” Balanced processing—base decisions on objective analysis of data, solicit opinions of others and consider these when making decisions. “I listen carefully to different points of view before coming to conclusions.” Donald Davis Mindfulness and Authentic Leadership

Fit of Leadership to Core Values Integrity Authentic Leadership Skills Self-awareness Transparency Ethical/moral Balanced processing Cordiality, mutual respect Exceed standards of legal profession Never sacrifice quality for efficiency, teamwork for self-interest, morality for convenience, honor for success Donald Davis Mindfulness and Authentic Leadership

Fit of Leadership to Core Values Stewardship Respond promptly to demands of others Serve profession and community Offer quality working environment, excellent resources, competitive C&B Be mindful of privilege granted as servants of the law Authentic Leadership Skills Self-awareness Transparency Ethical/moral Balanced processing Donald Davis Mindfulness and Authentic Leadership

Who are Authentic Leaders? Dedicated to self-awareness, self-cultivation and self-regulation Know who they are, what they believe and value, and act consistently according to their beliefs and values Perceived by those being led to be virtuous, transparent, trustworthy, optimistic, hopeful Create positive spirals of influence Spread “virus” of virtue through their actions; authenticity and virtue become “contagious” and spread throughout the organization Success requires mindfulness Donald Davis Mindfulness and Authentic Leadership

Mindfulness Qualities (Shapiro, Schwartz & Santerre, 2005) Nonjudging: observe Nonstriving: don’t insist, resist, desist Acceptance: pure reality Patience (right timing) Trust: oneself, life Openness (beginner’s Mind) Letting go: don’t hold onto thoughts, feelings Gentleness: tender Generosity: prosocial Empathy: authentic communication Gratitude: reverent, thankful Loving-kindness: compassion joined to wisdom, unconditional love and forgiveness Donald Davis Mindfulness and Authentic Leadership

How Do You Cultivate Mindfulness? Donald Davis Mindfulness and Authentic Leadership

Why Practice Mindfulness? Changes our brains, e.g., increases density of neural connections related to attention, learning, memory, emotion regulation, empathy Improves emotions, e.g., increases positive emotions, reduces negative emotions, enhances self-regulation, increases emotional intelligence Improves cognition, e.g., enhances attention, memory, positive beliefs and expectations, self-regulation of thoughts, creativity Enhances relationships, e.g., greater interpersonal sensitivity, empathy, compassion, kindness Strengthens bodies, e.g., enhance stress management, increased relaxation, moving meditation (e.g., tai chi) increases bone density, agility, balance, core strength Donald Davis Mindfulness and Authentic Leadership

Why Practice Mindfulness? (continued) Enhances physical health, e.g., strengthen immune system, faster recovery from surgery, longer life, reduced absenteeism Enhances mental health, e.g., effective treatment for depression, anxiety, eating disorders, PTSD, some personality disorders; increases happiness and well-being, helps to lead a meaningful life Effective route to go beyond “normal” and instead achieve flourishing Donald Davis Mindfulness and Authentic Leadership

Change Your Mind, Change Your Life Donald Davis Mindfulness and Authentic Leadership