Mindful Leadership: The 9 Ways to Self-Awareness, Transforming Yourself, and Inspiring Others

by Maria Gonzalez

Become a true leader through Mindfulness If you thought leading a team or organization meant simply creating and implementing a financial plan, delegating responsibility, and watching the bottom line, well, you're only partly right. True leadership comes from within, a place of deep calm and focus, that allows you to respond to any situation as it arises. In Mindful Leadership, you'll learn how to draw on those inner reserves through Mindfulness Meditation, a tool you can use to achieve focus and clarity, reduce stress, and develop the presence of mind to meet any number of challenges.

The book opens up a world of meditation exercises that can be done anywhere, anytime (no chanting or patchouli required!) and that are the gateway to improved judgment and decision making, improved time management, enhanced team effectiveness, greater productivity, and more on-the-job inspiration and innovation.

Details the nine ways in which leaders can incorporate Mindfulness into every aspect of their lives Illustrates how meditation and business actually do mix Essential for anyone interested in anticipating and serving client needs The author coaches executives throughout North America and is quoted widely in the media Offering essential skills for both life and work, Mindful Leadership shows how it's possible to successfully lead a team, an entire organization—or just yourself.

Genres: Leadership, Nonfiction, Personal Development, Business, Professional Development, Audiobook

226 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Beth Wittmann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to read this for work and I had high hopes because it’s written by a woman of color and we’re looking for resources on leadership as it pertains to people with marginalized identities. It has some great and practical methods for mindfulness in the first few chapters and then everything that relates to leadership was so un-relatable. There were SO many references to golfing in particular that just really turned me off to this book. Maybe the author thought she would have to pander to powerful white men to get them to consider her methods. She mentions working with high powered people and it shows in the book. Lots of it was C-level and executive scenarios that I had to do some mental bending to translate to our small operation in one part of CSU. So, I think we’re taking the techniques and leaving the elitist references.

[Lindsay S · Rating 2 out of 5]

Felt scattered and repetitive. Was not what I was hoping for at all. Had to switch to the Audio version because I could not get into her style of writing.
Picked up a few things from this book but it was a tough go.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good topic, could have been written in a shorter more direct fashion. Author repeated herself frequently and thus treated the reader as though they hadn't read the preceding pages or chapters.

[David Cain · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book makes the case for using "mindfulness meditation" to develop nine skills useful in a business setting (being present, aware, calm, focused, clear, equanimous, positive, compassionate, and impeccable) and to overcome five hindrances to success (attachment, aversion, ignorance/confusion/delusion, envy/jealousy, and pride). Those lists are the strongest part of this work, and there is definitely some useful advice sprinkled throughout these chapters.

However, I found the discussion of meditation techniques to be brief, superficial, and repetitive. Although Gonzalez acknowledges that anyone at any level of an organization can be a leader, many of her examples in each chapter cover the types of concerns common to VPs & C-level executives (e.g., meetings with investors or the board of directors, launching a new product, or creating corporate strategy), so they are of limited relevance to most of her audience. And she talks an excessive number of times about playing golf, which is a bit clichéd and irrelevant for those of us uninterested in the sport. So overall, this book is a bit short on practical advice and relevant examples. Kind of a missed opportunity by the author as this could have been expanded from its 200-page length into a longer but more useful leadership book.

[Xavier University Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

The definition of leadership has now changed to be "anyone who is in a position to influence another human being." In this book, Gonzalez explores how people can maximize their position of influence through mindfulness practices. By exploring ways to better know yourself and practice mindfulness both in your daily life and leadership position specifically, readers can feel more confident in their own abilities in organizations and as a person in their daily life.

[Aidanne Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the concept of the book. The author is spot on with the qualities that are required in an effective leader. What I feel is lacking in the book is more mindful practices to try. I believe including more activities and techniques would have been more beneficial rather than the repetition we see throughout the book.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and practical concepts, but geared more for executives and business types that doesn't necessarily apply to my particular career. I think the meditation practices can be used and applied by anyone to their particular situation.

[Harish Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the practical books to practice mindfulness

Worth a read and keep for future references. Practical ways suggested to be mindful. Really liked the practice exercises in the book.

[Tiffeny · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh [insert shoulder shrug]. Did not take anything from this book that was new or life-changing

[Leonardo Luz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has been a great source of new inputs in my life and I'm learning a lot from it

I have It as 8.9

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

ธรรมะในมุมมอง​ของ​ชาวตะวันตก​ ที่อ่านง่าย​ มีกลยุทธ์​ให้ฝึกสติฝนทุกประเด็น​ ที่แม้ไม่ใช่เป็น​ผู้นำ​ก็อ่านได้​ และสามารถ​นำ​หลักการ​ 9​ ประการไปใช้ได้ดี​ี​ ได้แก่​
อยู่​กับปัจจุบัน​/ตระหนัก​รู้/สงบสุขุม/สมาธิจดจ่อ​/มีความชัดเจน​/อุเบกขา​/คิด​บวก/มีความกรุณา​/มีคุณธรรม​

ยืมหนังสือ​ง​เล่มนี้มาจากห้องสมุด​ แต่อ่านจบแล้วต้องหาซื้อมาเก็บโดยพลัน​
เอาไว้เตือน​ใจไว้เนืองๆ
จะว่าไปหลักการ​ที่แทบจะ​ consensus เลยในหลาย​ๆเล่มคือ​ อยู่​กับปัจจุบัน​/มีสมาธิ​จดจ่อ/มีอุเบกขา​ ปล่อยวางตัวตน​ ทำได้​เท่านี่ก็​แจ่มแล้ววว
และน่าสนใจ​น​ว่าฝรั่งตะวันตก​เขียนเรื่องทำนองนี้ได้อ่านง่ายและน่าติดตาม​ กว่าคนไทย

[Babita Devi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Focuses on how to make good, sound decisions that lead to best, possible outcomes.

[Ashley Hart · Rating 1 out of 5]

A generalized perspective on meditation that rarely takes the time to examine the spiritual background of meditation and promotes intangible altruisms.