Joshua Ehrlich, Ph.D. (Global Leadership Council)

Dr. Josh Ehrlich had three messages for the audience, conceptualized by Mindful Leadership:

• More & faster information is not better
• Insight drives learning & performance
• You can learn to focus and reflect to be more effective

“Life blows a deluge of information at us and technology scatters our attention.  Most of us add to the chaotic whirlwind by stepping on the accelerator and cramming more into each day.  The result is that your mind becomes full and we lose our way.”

We’ve become habituated to distraction and overload.  Recent statistics indicate:

• We consume 3X the data we did in 1960
• Send/receive 178 messages per day (texts or emails)
• Surf 40 websites per day
• Keep 8 computer windows open & switch 37 times per hour
• Interruptions in work occur 7-10 times an hour, 10-15 minutes to get back to task
• 47% of the time our mind is wandering = unhappy & unproductive

“We have overestimated our multitasking ability, and underestimated its’ detrimental ability.  The result is that our work tasks are taking approximately 30% longer, and we’re making twice as many errors.”

By applying focus and mindfulness to coaching and developing leadership, we can address these issues.

Mindfulness Research – leadership factors:

• Increased ability to focus and tolerate anxiety, ambiguity and uncertainty
• Increase clarity, learning, creative thinking & IQ
• Enhanced empathy, positivity, emotional stability, psychological and moral maturity
• Enhanced communication and relationships
• Decreased stress, fatigue and burnout
• Increased immune response and life expectancy
• Safe container to increase coaching impact; ’how are you’ mentoring story—judging to inquiring

How do we teach Emotional Intelligence?  Build EI by teaching people to use mindfulness to manage stress and track internal (gut) & external (nonverbal) cues.  EI can be demonstrated by: 1) expressing & managing your emotions, 2) understanding others’ emotional signals, and 3) using emotions to build relationships, choose leadership style & reach goals.  Stress drags EI down, while mindfulness drives EI up.

There are six types of Intelligence that impact our Mindful Leadership effectiveness:

• Mindful—using open, present attention to increase learning and impact
• Cognitive—Focused, Open, Flexible vs. black/white, absolute and negative thinking 
• Emotional—Aware & accepting feelings 
• Social—Give and get support by building lasting, intimate network of relationships 
• Physical—Establish healthy diet, exercise and sleep habits to take care of yourself
• Spiritual—Clarify values and find meaning and purpose outside materialism 

Mindful Coaching Practice

Kolb’s Model helps us learn from "reflection."  Focusing mindfully is different from reflecting.  Reflection looks retrospectively at your thoughts and actions, their impact and your learning process.  Mindfulness turns attention to your ongoing stream of thoughts, emotions, physical sensations and attitudes.  Reflection is intentional and goal-directed—there is something you are trying to accomplish, solve or improve.  Mindfulness is attentional and neutral—rather than focusing on problems, you objectively observe yourself, your reactions and external stimuli without judgment – you learn through reflection by looking backward and then forward.  Looking back at your experiences enables you give new meaning to experience, and when you reflect with others, you will see new perspectives.  Coaching must incorporate more developed communication skills and the use of Mindful Dialogue, Negotiation, and Relationship Building.

“Coaching only happens when we can connect on a personal level.”

Mindfulness becomes a tool that can help people become more aware, more self-accepting, and better equipped to face reality.  Building a sense of self, developing leadership skills, and learning from experience by reflecting back on ourselves – strengthens our emotional stability, and enhances our communication.  Making a conscious effort to be mindful instead of mindless in your daily interactions, whether personal or work related, will enrich your strengths as a leader and coach.


Reported by: Kelly Switzer