Once every few years, I like to learn a new soft skill.
I’m intentional about it and follow 3 steps.
I learn it, internalize it, and apply it till it’s a habit.
Throughout my career, I’ve learned how to:
👉 Listen Actively Before I Speak
👉 Present to the Needs of the Audience
👉 Lead Authentically and Wholeheartedly
👉 Lean into Difficult Conversations
👉 Sell by Helping my Clients Succeed
👉 Coach before Directing
👉 Negotiate so Both Parties Win
Some skills come quickly to me, some take a much longer time.
This year, I’m focused on a skill I wished I’d learned years ago: Mindfulness.
Mindfulness:
👉 Improves focus
👉 Increases resilience
👉 Reduces stress and anxiety
👉 Helps regulate our emotions and responses
And somewhat unexpectedly, Mindfulness helps me learn other soft skills.
𝑰 𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓’𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒐𝒇𝒕 𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness – and meditation, a practice in Mindfulness – is NOT about emptying our mind so that the brain can take a break.
Rather, Mindfulness is about being more aware of our thoughts and emotions.
How is this beneficial?
1️. Our thoughts/emotions colour our responses 24×7. Once we are mindfully aware of our thoughts/emotions, we have more options on how to deliberately respond.
2️. And when we practice a new skill mindfully, it significantly aids in acquiring the skill.
Whether you’re aiming to be a better leader or team member, I cannot recommend it highly enough.