Mindfulness: Why it matters to business more than you think – and a taster exercise anyone can try
Historically, the majority of leadership development has focused on tangible areas such as leadership competencies, skills and behaviours – what we call a “cognitive approach to learning”. These are all clearly very important, but they are not the whole story.
Emotional learning matters. Consider, for instance, someone who is almost exclusively bound to the technical aspects of their job role. Their career path may be impeded due to an inability to forge effective relationships with clients and colleagues and a lack of awareness of personal impact.
The traditional cognitive approach to learning might well help that person to understand the intrinsic value of being able to build better relationships. But the ability to fully implement this insight depends heavily upon emotional competence.
Read more: What is mindfulness?
Prevailing view
Until fairly recently, the prevailing view was that the brain developed during childhood until it reached a fixed state at some point during early adulthood. In other words, the extent of our emotional intelligence (among other things) was firmly set early in life. However, contemporary research reveals that the brain continues to rewire itself far beyond this point in response to our feelings, thoughts and experiences – a concept known as “neuro-plasticity”.
The implications of these findings are tremendous. Most significantly, it means that, with concerted application and practise, we can consciously “rewire” our brains to support our ongoing growth and development. On the other hand, unless we assume direct responsibility for consciously rewiring our brains, then the likelihood is that our neural pathways will become increasingly entrenched and more resistant to the process of rewiring – meaning that we operate within a narrow and often restrictive form of auto-pilot.
This is where the process of mindfulness can prove a useful ally, because it allows us to harness the best aspects of both our cognitive and emotional learning.
Read more: The Bank of England turns to mindfulness
Use it well
Essentially, mindfulness gives us an opportunity to re-experience our everyday environment while “bracketing” our immediate judgements or pre-conceptions. Below is a traditional mindfulness exercise you might like to try in order to get some insight into how the process works. There is no right outcome – it’s designed to provide you with some sense of how a mindful experience can differ significantly from a heavily pre-conceived view of a very everyday situation.
Find a small piece of food, like one nut. Before you eat, explore this food with your sense of smell. What do you notice? Take your first bite. Please chew very slowly, noticing the sensory experience of chewing and tasting. Notice the texture of the food; the way it feels in your mouth. Notice if the intensity of its flavour changes, moment to moment. Take about 20 more seconds to very slowly finish this first bite, being aware of the simple sensations of chewing and tasting.
Research has shown that we have two distinct ways of interacting with the world: the “default network” and the “direct experience” (explored above). The former incorporates narratives about ourselves and our history or future, drawing conclusions accordingly. It is particularly useful in scenarios which require the need for planning or strategic thinking.
But relying exclusively upon this approach inevitably has its limitations, particularly regarding our ability to optimise our interactions with others. The potential benefits of assuming a more balanced or mixed approach include: improved concentration and decision-making, heightened awareness of self and others, leading to healthier relationships, higher levels of psychological resilience, and greater creativity.