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How to lead by being in the moment

Lead by being in the moment
Lead by being in the moment
Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Have you ever been in a meeting with others and noticed the person you are talking to may be there in physical presence, but has left the room to be somewhere else? Their mind is absent, wandering and not focused on the topic at hand. Maybe there are occasions that you can recall where you had been the one with the wandering mind. How can we stay focused?
When we learn to be mindful, our senses are more actively engaged in the process of noticing people and experiences around us in the present. According to the research of Ellen Langer, professor in psychology from Harvard University, when we are paying attention to what is going on around us, instead of operating on auto-pilot, we can benefit, because we experience less stress. That in turn can unlock creativity and improve individual and team performance. To be more mindful, encourage the following practices within your team:
Be grateful when starting your day. At the start of your working day, think of three people or things at work that you feel grateful for and explain why. Evidence-based research indicated that an attitude of gratitude is likely to
• improve energy and resiliency
• enhance immunity
• improve health
• lift mood and improve sleep
• enhance self-esteem and well-being
• relieve stress
• and there is even evidence of increase in earnings.
Paying kind attention to the people around you. What would it be like if your thoughts were completely transparent? Would you still think the same things you are thinking when you are in your meeting and getting more frustrated by the minute, or would you try to find a way to better understand the perspectives of others?
Training your mind to focus on the present moment. Remember that stress comes from the way you look at events and how you interpret it, not from the events themselves. According to Amit Sood, professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic, your mind can be trained to focus in the present and the people that are part of it, and giving them your joyful attention; whether you are with your team at work or at the end of the day with your family and friends.

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