A "Mindful" Mindset

I believe that when I'm at my best, I operate out of a conscious and deliberate mindset about how I influence people and business culture. In other words, good leaders "know themselves" and are intentional in their actions and interactions with others.

Although this may sound extreme, for me it comes down to being "intentional" about each and every conversation and interaction with others - being mindful about what I am trying to accomplish in the relationship or communication with that person or group. I am at my best when I focus on these key outcomes - asking myself what kind of result do I want with this person/group and what kind of relationship am I trying to carve out.

My assumption is that the best relationships I have come as a result of this "mindful" effort - as a leader and person, my best effort comes from being deliberate - trying to create positive relationships with others and move them in good ways by what I say and how I say it!

This means I have to be not only mindful in my efforts to influence others, but contemplative about each relationship and the choices I make about how I talk and communicate with each person. Ultimately, this allows me to also be mindful of my passion and values and what defines me as a person - when I'm at my best - and when I'm at my best as a leader!