How great is it when a nice guy or girl finishes first? I was overjoyed to see on my LinkedIn feed that a former colleague, friend, and all-around good guy was recently appointed CEO of a NYC company. He embodies so many of the good traits that I've identified as being crucial in transformational leaders. There are unique characteristics to be the kind of mindful leader that rises to the top, a topic that I cover in depth during my executive retreats.
Here are 8 tips to help you make mindful decisions when faced with complex challenges:
- Enter a joint partnership to create a new movement. Recent example; Unilever and the Huffington Post partnered to create "Talk To Me" which is led by Arianna's daughter, Christina. The goal of this program is to help children and parents improve the quality of their conversations and time spent together.
- Join an existing movement or cause. After hearing about an initiative by the Starling sisters' Soul Food USA, in which they distribute peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to the homeless with a sticker saying "You Matter", Kleenex decided to jump in and let them know they mattered too with a viral video.
Before you make your next big decision, realize that not much sets you apart from the leaders that you admire. Take a deep breath, be mindful, and go with your instincts. It will take practice and attention to avoid that knee-jerk reaction and truly be present, but no one ever said that Richard Branson or Arianna Huffington became who they are in a day!
Valeh Nazemoff is the international bestselling author of The Four Intelligences of the Business Mind, as well as a coach, business consultant, and co-owner of Acolyst. She is founder of the Communication Transformation Business Workshop.
Learn more about her programs and how to work with her http://www.valehnazemoff.com and her company http://www.acolyst.com
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