4 Types of Practices for Leaders and Organizations to Cultivate Self-Awareness

If you have ever wanted to change your weight or your muscle tone in your body, you know it requires “going to the gym” in one form or another. You can’t just go once in awhile and expect any significant change. You also know that if you stop doing the exercises the changes don’t last.

The same thing is true if you want to grow in self-awareness. You need to practice often and in ongoing ways. We observe that the individuals and teams who are leading most consciously are the ones who have incorporated multiple practices in their lives. We suggest four ways to practice conscious leadership.

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1. Individual Practice  

Create a daily meditation practice. One of our favorite apps is Headspace.  

Practice self awareness by using the app, Mind Jogger, to help you learn to be more present.  You can have the app ask you various questions randomly throughout the day like, “What are you feeling right now?”  “Are you above line or below line?” or  “Are you curious or wanting to be right?”

2. Partner Practices

Meet with a learning partner once a week for 20-30 minutes to check in and support one another by discussing how you got stuck that week and how you can shift to a state of trust.

3. Group Practices

Create a book discussion group to explore books that offer tools on how to be more self-aware. If you are reading our book, The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership, we have a discussion guide to support your conversation.

Join or create a forum of 7-10 people that meets monthly to explore how to lead more consciously. At CLG, we offer forums in various regions around the country and within our client organizations.

Join a meditation group where you practice together with a teacher. Telesangha offers this option.

4. Organizational Practices

Ask each team member to send an appreciation to three other people in the organization each week.

Ask all team members to separate facts from stories by using a shared language. For example, “A story I am making up is that you are overcommitted and not able to perform your role well.”

At the beginning of meetings, ask participants to locate what context they are in as they start the discussion. See this video for more clarity.