MINDFUL LEADERSHIP: A Critical Skill for The Next Generation of Seafarers
Statistics from the UN show that by 2030 people between the ages of 15 to 24 will make up approximately 23% of the world’s population. Also known as Gen Z – a group of people born between the years 1997 and 2012. The digital natives, a generation that can access several sources of information simultaneously to leverage on their goals.
Unlike the generations before that took a more top down approach or a POWER RELIANT model that drove companies and teams to perform and follow, Gen Z may have a lot more on their hands as they face the future and become the next leaders of the maritime industry. You would think that with a vast ocean of information, and technology on the rise, leadership might be easier. But the future in this digital age forces leaders to DIGITIZE and HUMANIZE.
It’s working with diversity – not just of gender, background, and culture, but of AGE. The intergenerational workplace is upon us.
Leaders need to become skilled communicators, mentors, and quick thinkers.
Leaders of the future need to show up authentically to connect with a range of people.
Future leaders are going to be required to keep up with rapid change – adapting and creating change.
Instead of starting with a vision, the next generation will need to entice, inspire, and move people by introducing a sense of purpose. By first having a clear sense of self and a clear sense of the future.
Filter failure is a term coined by American writer Clay Shirky (2008) as a response to information overload – “it is not the overload that is the problem”, he writes, “but FILTER FAILURE” - An inability to make decisions, think long-term, think creatively, concentrate, and improve productivity.
This can be stressful and can often lead to burnout. And the best way we can tackle filter failure is by first becoming MINDFUL of the stimulation in our environment. The research on Mindfulness is extensive. Here’s what we know:
Mindfulness can truly contribute to an increase in job performance, attention, concentration, and leadership qualities through the years.
Mindfulness research also provides insight into how mindfulness can make leaders more effective at managing complex issues and solving difficult problems. Such as dealing with employee stress and burnout, managing increased disruptions and interdependencies, counteracting inequalities, and communicating effectively to develop ethical and transformational leadership qualities.
What is mindfulness? And how does it work?
Mindfulness is defined as a form of paying attention on purpose to a particular thing – NONJUDGMENTALLY. It is a skill that is taught through several weeks, which help the practitioner develop a way of being in the world. Mindfulness allows us to look at our different emotional states to understand how they color experiences, and how situations color thoughts. It lets us take ownership on our own behaviors, thoughts, emotions, and body sensations – differentiating what is ours and what is of others. In fact, mindfulness practice has been known to strengthen a region in the brain (Anterior Cingulate Cortex) that helps us better empathize with others. Better self-awareness leads us to better other awareness, helping us lead diverse groups.
If we want to combat the vast amount of information that the digital age brings, improve critical thinking, and HUMANIZE the way that we work – then it’s high time we adopt mindfulness in as a critical skill that the next generation of leaders will need to immerse themselves in.