Looking Forward: Meeting the Global Need for Leaders Through Guided Mindfulness

Abstract

In a changing global workplace, emerging leaders must develop skills that extend beyond those of directing others. Global leaders must be skilled motivators, engagers, and adapters to successfully lead across cultures and contexts. The urgent global demand for these critical skills necessitates moving beyond current developmental practices. This chapter first reviews the strengths and weaknesses of traditional approaches to leadership development (workshops, coaching, action learning, stretch assignments, and blended approaches). Guided Mindfulness, a flexible and dynamic model of leadership development, is then presented as a new approach to preparing emerging global leaders. Guided Mindfulness builds on experience-based learning that the traditional approaches recommend; however, the added component of guided reflection ensures that new knowledge is consolidated and internalized. This chapter concludes with a discussion of the potential benefits and gains of the Guided Mindfulness approach.