Here's how you can cultivate mindful communication in leadership roles.

Providing someone with your undivided attention and truly listening to understand is often under-rated. While we want our teams to become autonomous and have the courage to make their own decisions, at times they simply need their leaders to listen, on purpose, without judgement.

One thing I've found helpful in cultivating mindful communication in leadership roles is to start with cultivating your presence. Presence can be defined as the ability to be conscious and present with those you are communicating with. Barriers to presence include self-doubt, uncertainty, distraction, and stress. As a leader, learning about what gets in your way of being present with others, developing the ability to identify what you need at that moment, and finding ways to provide it to yourself will lead to an increased ability to be more present and mindful when communicating with others.

An appreciative listener is always stimulating.” – Agatha Christie. As you listen with care and attention, you empower your team members to take more risks, provide their views, and enrich their lives and yours as well. Wisdom comes from listening!

Active listening demonstrates presence. If you are fully present with your team you will enable them to join you in the present moment. This is where meaningful change can take place.

Often, while someone else is talking we will be: - Thinking about something else - Daydreaming - Preparing our own answer In short, not listening. Often this is ‘automatic’ - we can’t help it. Active listening is being able to stay connected to the present moment as the other person is speaking. A good way to do this is through our bodies - Feeling our feet on the floor, or - The weight of our body on the seat, or - The warmth of the coffee in your hands. When you are present and 'embodied', you will ‘be’ with the other person. You’ll hear more the emotion behind the words, you’ll be able to hear the person behind the words, a natural curiousity will arise. You will be engaged in the communication and the person in front of you.

In my experience, being empathetic is the most important skill to build healthy and meaningful relationships(personal as well as professional). Most of the times at work we tend to overlook the fact that we are humans at last and every reaction comes with story. Providing an inclusive platform to share views/perspectives/ concerns before drawing conclusion helps in building psychologically safe environment. Having said that,not everything that is shared can be considered and be applicable to that particular scenario. This needs to be clearly conveyed to the group.

Be sure to get all Internal information before providing the supportive response to any customer. Mixed messages from the same company can be a true let down to the customer.

Leaders are the ones who not only take initiative but are endorsed by others as their representative to champion for their cause.The connect made or established between the representative & the represented is but mandatory to truly establish the credential of the relation.The empathy is the bridge & Is necessary to strengthen the connect - the understanding of the others’ need with that empathic shade,helps to decode it rightly & above all creates reciprocative cooperation.This bridge helps not only to communicate understanding but also the necessary directives which are important to execute a task.The empathic connect helps the leader to deliver reward & punishment easily & in an acceptable fashion as the empathic connect permits the same

An Intentional Pause is powerful. Brevity is profound. People will be motivated and emotionally moved with a brief, heartfelt, message that is easily remembered, and not lost in rhetoric.

During periods of stress people don't think as efficiently. It's important to craft messages in such a way that they can be taken in more easily. According to the principles of risk communication (the 27/9/3 template), it is useful to present no more than three ideas in a given statement. There should be approximately 27 words total and the amount of time to deliver about 9 seconds.

In leadership, clear and brief communication is key. Being clear about what you expect and want helps avoid confusion and ensures everyone understands. To do this, share your messages in a simple and direct way without giving any ambiguous instructions. Clarity helps in increasing productivity and efficiency. Meeting your targets on time boosts confidence and keeps your mind relaxed yet excited to achieve more. Brevity in your clear communication reflects on your understanding levels and professional approach to present solutions or interaction with your team. A person with clarity and brevity in his/ her communication earns respect and trust of the team. Hence these are great skills to develop for a leader.

Being intentional and purposeful could add another dimension to clarity and brevity. It is difficult to convey a clear but brief presentation. As such, it is crucial for a leader to first understand his/her intent or purpose. Clarity and brevity become achievable then.

Clear communication is everything. A lot of misunderstandings in work (and in life in general) come from miscommunications, so always make sure you're being as clear as possible, especially when interacting with new people and learning different communication styles! As it pertains to leadership, it's best if you learn how to communicate effectively. A good indicator of effective communication is active and empathetic listening, as well as clear and open dialogue. Spend some time practicing your own communication as a leader, and identify your own communication style so you know how to mesh it well with others on your team.

Non verbal cues today go beyond facial expressions, body language or tone. It’s those subtle actions - are you interrupting too often? Are you talking more & listening less? Are you not giving someone your calendar time? Are you not invested in that coaching conversation? Are you not turning on your camera on a cross geographic e-meets? The list goes on. These are the subtle micro aggression behaviours that corrode an inclusive workplace today that often results in a life-less / ineffective leadership style. Pay close attention to those micro aggressions in your role! ??

What a lot of people don't realize is that yes, it's important to choose your words wisely, but it's EQUALLY as important to watch your non-verbal language as well. Make sure you approach communicating with team members with a neutral stance, mentally and physically. You don't have to be all chipper and cheery, but don't have a scowl on your face either. People can easily pick up on those unsaid things, so make sure your body language is open and receptive. Additionally, it's not just what you say, but HOW you say it. Watch your tone! Try not to talk too fast, or have a judgmental tone.

Die oben beschriebene Signalkongruenz ist ein Zeichen für authentische Kommunikation. Es kann ungemein helfen, immer wieder in den K?rper zu spüren und sich der eigenen Haltung, Gestik, Stimmlage und Mimik bewusst zu werden.

Cuando hablamos del proceso de comunicar, es importante tener presente que más del 80% de la información que enviamos y recibimos es a través del cuerpo, de ahí la importancia de si estar presente y consciente cuando nos estamos comunicando. es una habilidad que deberíamos desarrollar todos y todas

Constructive feedback in the workplace is aimed at helping employees improve their performance, develop their skills, and foster a positive work environment. Remember that constructive feedback should be clear, respectful, and actionable, focusing on the employee's.

Giving helpful feedback is important for good communication in leadership. It means offering clear and useful suggestions to help someone improve while also praising their good work. When giving feedback, do it kindly and with the goal of helping them grow, not just to criticize. It's crucial for leaders to learn the art of praising and giving feedback. This creates a positive environment where your team can keep learning and getting better.

Delivering constructive feedback can be challenging but should not be avoided. I find the Non Violent Communication (NVC) model helpful. NVC is based on a delivering a message from the perspective of your observations, feelings, needs and requests. Feedback framed in this delivers both authenticity and effectiveness. Focus on observations, not judgments: NVC allows you to highlight specific observed behavior. Connects observations to feelings: Sharing how something makes you feel personalizes feedback and encourages empathy. Identifies needs: Explaining the needs that aren't being met helps the receiver understand. Makes clear and specific requests: By stating a concrete request, you offer a clear path for improvement.

Remember this needs to be modelled by staying open to feedback on your own practice too! Now always easy but so worth it to have an open reflective culture

Communication is a skill. Much like a toddler, initially you struggle to find our way. In time your communication skills flourish with practice. The most profound messages are those which originate from your heart and soul.

One framework I've found useful is Non violent communication. It follows the broad framework of observation, feelings, unmet need, request in actions. It comes from a place of compassion, objectivity, rather than judgment, generalisation. For ex, if you've to communicate development feedback such as not completing work on time to your team member, here's the NVC way to do it. "I've observed that you've sent in the report late 4 times late in the last one month. I feel stuck as a result. My need for being punctual with sending in my own report isn't being met. May I request you to send it in time from here on" This opens up a dialog that's constructive and mindful of others as well.

There are five facets of mindfulness: observing (to be aware of what is going on inside yourself and in the external environment), describing (putting into words observations of inner experiences of perceptions, thoughts, feelings, sensations, and emotions), acting with awareness (engaging fully in one’s present activity rather than functioning on automatic pilot), nonjudging of inner experience (being consciously aware of one’s thoughts, feelings, and attitudes without judging them), and nonreactivity to inner experience (becoming consciously aware of distressing thoughts, emotions, and mental images without automatically responding to them). Easier said than done, but it is about applying them on a day-to-day basis. Practice is the key.

Be honest. Being mindful to work better is not really what you want. It is not a window you can open and close. Oh! I am mindful now and then I will forget about it. The real goal for you, for you colleagues and teammates and also for your life and family is be mindful of what you have around in an honest way. Not only being mindful but DO it. Start from your senses and feel more! You might find out that bot being triggered or stressed and being in control is good for you not only for your leadership role. Be a better Human even before becoming a better leader. So practice by eating, buliate Ning, by watching by feeling your body as a whole

Mindful communication is essential for effective leadership. It involves being present, non-judgmental, and calm. Emotional regulation is key to achieving these aspects. Mindful leaders understand the importance of giving their team members the opportunity to fully communicate their ideas and concerns without being influenced by automatic reactions or rash interpretations. By maintaining composure in tense situations, they can prevent being overwhelmed by emotions.

In a leadership role, you can use mindful communication and a mindful attitude, but you can do much more! You can create a safe space where your team and collegues can have mindful conversations. To be clearer, mindful conversations can’t take place in a toxic environnement. So, in my opinion, the main role as leader should be to encourage a mindful culture and, very important, to build the container for it. Good luck!

Leadership is fraught with pressures beyond numbers. Time is of essence hence there is a tendency to skip/skim over time consuming ‘non urgent’ activities. Mindful communication on the contrary is a learned practice that demands time and patience Leaders must empathise via verbal/non verbal communication: To listen deeply To sense underlying emotions To respond appropriately without brushing off concerns or simply offering superficial encouragement Also to be quick and discerning in 1.Differentiating between regular/deeper problems 2.Addressing the latter in a more detailed/ hands on way Mindful communication is also demonstration through action - meaning putting enablers that ease problems-letting team know you care.

All of the above are such great pillars for developing this practice. In my personal experience I see that the communication I offer myself is reflected out into my interactions. The more awareness, presence and compassion that I can bring into my own internal voice, will allow me to be present, empathetic and open in my external world. The curiosity I bring to my own belief systems and perceptions will allow me greater adaptability to hearing multiple perspectives at a time, which brings about the environment for authenticity and possibility. Accepting that it’s a practice and that we won’t always be skillful but that to is a growth full experience.

In my point of view, by practicing mindfulness in your interactions, you demonstrate respect and consideration, which in turn encourages the same behavior in others. This mutual development strengthens team dynamics and drives overall success. As a soft skills and communication expert, I can attest that the benefits of mindful communication extend beyond professional relationships, contributing significantly to personal fulfillment and growth.