“Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
My name is Carolyn Lebanowski and I am a Strategic Leadership Partner for ILLLI. I am so excited to be a part of this ground-breaking platform where learning and growing together is a core value.
As a life-long learner and student of human potential, I believe in vulnerability, authenticity and connection. I have learned that we all experience seasons and chapters in our lives that are sometimes hard to navigate. We struggle with unexpected scenarios and hunger for simple solutions and in the end we all yearn to be heard and seen – without judgement.
This is life, our life, our journey.
Mindfulness and Leadership – It’s all about CONNECTION
I remember the day when my perception of mindfulness and leadership shifted under my feet – it was embarrassing and humbling.
I was sitting with one of my team members discussing a project. As she was talking, I realized I was not listening. I noticed that I was nodding my head, smiling, watching her lips move, but heard nothing.
Why was I not actively listening? Was I judging her words? Did I think I already had the answers? Or was I just trying to multitask? I realized that connection and authenticity were completely absent – I knew it was never going to work like this.
I took a deep breath and asked if we could start over…and we did.
Mindful Leadership requires us to be:
- Connected and Vulnerable
- Honest and Humble
- Curious and Confident
- Bold and Brave
We need to ask ourselves:
- Are we fully present in our listening with open eyes and an open heart?
- Are we being authentic in our voice sharing from a space of truth?
- Are we asking the questions that help us go deeper?
- Are we holding fierce beliefs that fuel our actions and empower our instincts?
Mindfulness is a compass in every aspect of our lives. It is an opportunity to redirect our thinking inward vs outward. It takes practice. So when you find yourself off track, just take a deep breath and start over.
