Leadership + Meditation

Are you working in a company where leaders recognize the value of daily meditation practice?

Probably not.

I believe in a company culture where leaders encourage meditating to better manage stress. Studies prove that emotionally and socially intelligent leaders who frequently meditate stay calm under pressure and make better decisions.

Tonight, I am going to the Shambhala Meditation Center in Brookline. While I am fastidious about my yoga practice, I am less devout about the practice of meditation but I have been reading about the importance of mindfulness meditation, specifically in leadership positions.

Tonight, newcomers and seasoned practitioners alike will gather for group sitting or meditation instruction, followed by a lecture and discussion with special guest Tenzin Priyadarshi.

Meditation's benefits are attained by exercising unseen "leadership muscles" as you sit still. You can then exert these muscles at work and in all aspects of your life to make a lasting contribution to your world.

These skills develop with practice and can then be applied with a natural ease and familiarity. Leading others is no small task, requiring a poised, courageous, down-to-earth acknowledgment of reality. Unfortunately, many leaders hang onto delusions of control and prefer the status quo, unwilling to face the risk of being uncomfortable or fearful.

When you slow down, you gain a realistic picture of what's going on instead of speeding through your day-or worse, speeding through your life. Meditation and mindfulness are invitations to become more fully human. In everyday leadership, they confer the power to have a real impact on your organization.

My hope is to apply what I learn tonight to my yoga practice, graduate work, internship and personal realtionships and make clearer, cleaner choices.