Rongohua o te Korimako

Leadership is not about a title or a designation. It’s about impact, influence and inspiration. Impact involves getting results, influence is about spreading the passion you have for your work, and you have to inspire team-mates and customers. Robin S. Sharma (1964–) Canadian Writer

Leadership

• What is your experience of compassionate (or not) leadership?
  I have experienced compassionate leadership in a couple of different workplace environments. I found it very empowering. The leaders concerned took a genuine interest in everyone's personal development, seeking to engender leadership skills and encourage the building of professional capacity. By contrast, I also recall another work situation where one of the leaders was a micro-manager. For me, this was not a happy situation: people need to be trusted to get on with their jobs and not to have to worry about the leader's constant attention.
• Do the multiplying goodness meditation. How did you find it?
  It was not easy. I need to focus more on seeing the good in others, even though some of those people make it difficult to see that good.
• Do the Tonglen meditation. How did you find it?
  This also was not easy. I did feel more tenderness and understanding for myself.
• How does the SCARF model apply to your Phase 0 experience so far? How will it apply to bootcamp?
  The SCARF model for the social brain is made up of stands for Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, and Fairness. These are considered major drivers for social behaviours. In terms of Phase 0, I think I have increased my Status by helping others and learning and applying the material needed for the bootcamp. Uncertainty causes error responses in the brain, so Certainty is important to reduce worry and to allow one’s full attention on the matters at hand. EDA staff spend a lot of time in Slack or at check-ins reassuring students and helping to promote Certainty. Autonomy is about control over the environment. In Phase 0 I feel I have had a lot of control as I've been able to work at my own pace. I cannot say how much control I will have during the bootcamp. Relatedness is about friends and foes and happiness. Everyone has been very friendly in Phase 0 and as we have had the chance to get to know one another, I presume this will continue into the future. Also, through mindfulness and meditation, foes can be changed to friends. Fairness refers to sacrificing self-interest to punish the perceived of unfairness of others. I have not seen this in Phase 0 and with awareness and autonomy I would hope that it is not a factor in the bootcamp. Skillful use of SCARF factors for the good for all creates a win-win situation for everyone.
• Have a difficult conversation. How did it go? (It's a valuable skill, but can take practice to develop!)
  I did this as a writing exercise. I found it difficult. I do know that I have always tried to avoid difficult conversations in the past and that I need to develop better strategies other than avoidance.
• Any other musings?
  I need to keep reminding myself that mindfulness is about me and also my interactions with others.