CONTEMPLATIVE LEADERSHIP 1

Contemplative Leadership

and Personal Transformation

Thel Kelejian

Appalachian State University

2017
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Contemplative Leadership and

Personal Transformation

Contemplative Leadership Overview

Leadership is manifested through the consolidation of diverse perspectives in support of a

unified initiative toward progress. The nature of leadership can be observed in various ways;

some leaders being self-serving while other exhibiting altruistic tendencies. The definition of

contemplative leadership is not necessarily confined to one hierarchical explanation of what it

means to lead; it is active awareness of how you interact with those around you and your active

reflection on your composure as a leader. Leaders who are contemplative and value personal

transformation in both themselves and their followers tend to be more productive and satisfied

with their accomplishments and overall life, within and without the work environment.

Contemplation allows ​space ​for one to reflect and address the outcomes of a day’s work,

and prepare for the day to come. This also allows ​time ​for grooming one’s own mental and

physical health, which is later reflected throughout other areas of life. The act of purposefully

pausing allows you to immerse yourself in its meaning, amplifying your awareness of the

ample opportunity life presents you to stop, reflect, sensitize, and recollect important insights

drawn from the current state of your psyche in time of life. Space is an absence of anything.

Marturano speaks on space in the sense of time to “celebrate a creative response by the team,”

support others, and listen to our own wisdom. I am led to believe that the ​space​ which

Marturano speaks of is time in which we demand nothing of ourselves, and nothing is

demanded of us by others, the time is composed of the gift of shared experience. The places in

which we create ​space, ​or, as Marturano calls it, “Free Parking,” reveal the direction our true
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selves wish progress. This ​space ​allows you to see things without an obstructed view. The

space​ which she speaks of is indicative of an eased mind and clear decisiveness.

Contemplative leaders are often perceived as fully present, compassionate, empathetic,

available, and approachable. This is because they are. Mindful communication requires mindful

listening. There is no need to become immersed within your own psyche while speaking with

another. If you find yourself caught up in your brain’s ongoing narrative, pause, and refocus

your attention on what is being said. The only contemplation your response requires is

understanding and true intention (Marturano, 2014). Maintaining public accessibility demands

sacrifice of personal time, but dedication to awareness practices will soon establish perceivable

improvement. The leader’s autonomy, confidence, and vision will slowly infect their

surroundings, giving mindfulness a chance to take hold of a community and become a core

value.

When we take time to pause and “acknowledge the fruits of others’ hard work,” we indicate

genuine appreciation for them and their passions. Become aware of the emotional responses

which you have to those around you and you will see where your words are most needed.

“Emotions make us human,” allowing us to “feel connected to ourselves, those around us, and

the world at large (Marturano, 2014).” These feelings can be identified through awareness over

bodily sensations and thoughts which send us a “prevalent message,” and further our personal

connections with ourselves. Acknowledging our emotions as they arise can expand our range of

responses to them, and bring about change in areas of your life. After falling in tune with your

internal patterns, it becomes possible to respond to pertinent situations with truth of intention,

increasing connectedness to our surroundings and others. Thoughts should not be solely
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responsible for responding to and coping with the stressor of our daily lives, emotions must be

abided by in order to remain receptive to ourselves and the world.

Methods such as daily meditation, mindful listening and speaking, and space making are

disciplined practices that bolster one’s awareness by encouraging reflection and insight.

Leaders can achieve this sense of approachability and awareness more ways than one. Some

leaders are most effective when utilizing their charisma, delivering strong words, acting as the

face of movements like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did in the Civil Rights Movement. These

charismatic leaders are able to connect to large populations on a personal level, developing trust

and unity. Other leaders are less deliberate when uniting others, yet their mindfulness prevails

in seeking a greater good. Rosa Parks, “the first lady of civil rights” is an example of an

understated leader whose actions spoke louder than words in the non-violent fight for equality

in America. She may not have been aware of the impact her actions would have. She put herself

in danger of prosecution in support of gender and racial equality, speaking volumes to the

public through one defining choice to sit where she sat on that Montgomery bus. Rosa Parks is

an exemplary example of a servant leader. These leaders unified the Civil Rights Movement

against inequality through transformative technique.

Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks undoubtedly grew to fill their roles through

dedication and experience. Transformative leadership supports the idea that everyone has

leadership qualities which can be cultivated and transformed. Both these leaders would support

this idea. This Transformative leadership, coined by Burns, puts emphasis on the needs and

morals of the follower. Burns argues that it’s important a leader to engage with their followers to

help them in personal struggles “regarding conflicting values.” Resulting is a connection that
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increases mortality levels of both leader and follower. Making ethics the central focus of

leadership, Burn’s yields a morally uplifting process. Transformative leadership is inducted

through creativity and inquiry, which are values which encourage experiential and integrative

perspectives. Everyone learns and interacts with knowledge uniquely, however, inquiry reveals

new ways to question and learn which everyone can adapt to their own practices. ​Creative

inquiry​ is an “approach to learning that shares the view that human beings, their cultures,

institutions, relationships, and traditions are all part of a larger universal creative process (way of

being). It is an ongoing, self-reflective inquiry into creation and transformation at a variety of

different levels, whether at the level of the personal, interpersonal, organizational, or in

communities (Montuori, & Donnelly, 2017).” Creativity as a whole is “associated with such

personality characteristics as independence of judgment, preference for complexity,

psychological androgyny, and tolerance for ambiguity, and more generally with openness to

experience (Barron, 1995).” This description is consistent of someone who a majority of people

would want to associate with, or strive to be. These aspects of creativity compose a leader.

Creative inquiry can be integrated into any area of interaction. In leadership it is important to

synthesize all aspects of leading in order to form a more adaptable understanding of leadership

praxes, expanding your personal resources and connecting with various perspectives. Without

creative inquiry, confinement to one way of ​being, relating, knowing, ​and​ doing​ would prevail

over other more collaborative or constructive modes of leadership and teamwork. While the

creative process of transformative leadership benefits all parties involved, Greenleaf’s theory of

servant leadership​ takes a more altruistic position stating that leaders should be attentive and
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empathetic to their followers. The leader acts as a servant to their followers, encouraging their

personal growth and helping them become servants themselves.

Applications of leadership ethics include ​teleological theories ​such as ethical egoism,

utilitarianism, and altruism. An ethical egoist functions for their own individual benefit and

betterment. This sense of self-interest is similar to transactional leadership theories and

maximizing profits. The utilitarian perspective evokes the greatest good for the most people.

Leaders with this mindset look to maximize social benefit and minimize social cost. Altruism

characterizes manifestations which are for the betterment of others separate from the reactive

individual and their own self-interests. Another class of ethical theory is ​deontological theories

which pays attention to the nature of an action rather than the ethics of that action’s

consequences (​teleological​). This ignites fairness and truth in action and intentions (Northouse,

2009). Leadership principles are situational. ​Ethics, innovation, inclusiveness, a​ nd ​service

persist within leaders on a varied spectrum. This is a spectrum ,however, has no clear divide. A

positive trait or strategy can surely become negative in excess, and a leader may become corrupt

from misguided ethics. In order to maintain dignified leadership in the workplace, Marturano

suggest we maintain high ethical standards in delivering our services to the client, execute our

business plan flawlessly, valuing our capacity to be flexible and innovative, and foster an

environment of inclusion and mutual respect.

Leadership ethics can be defined not only by character traits, but from a person’s actions and

methods in applying their personal traits to social scenarios. This creates space for a large variety

of leaders to take domain, yet unite them all through ethical conduct. “Our virtues are derived

from our actions, and our actions manifest our virtues.” It is important to remain aware of ethical
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necessity in order to serve or guide those around us and obtain a virtuous end. Ethics, though

personal, should become a more central discussion topic as they are essential for inclusive and

progression methods of collaboration.

To find and maintain these ethics and become a mindful leader a “vital element” is ​coming to

a deeper understanding of yourself.​ This is largely composed of being attentive to your

awareness and learning to guide it promptly. Leadership principles are also vital in deeping this

self-discovery. The more receptive you are to your own self, the more receptive you will be to

those around you. This process at times can be clouded by anxiety or stress. Often, these

detriments result from our own wild imaginations as they conjure up possibilities which bring us

unnecessary worry. Observing this ​process of thinking​ allows us to notice them “a little less

concretely,” and gain some clarity surrounding these dynamics. I find that not only speaking, but

thinking optimistically greatly reduces my stress and allows me to take in the world each

moment as a new one, creating more space for appreciation and celebration.

Practice

My central leadership principles are inclusion and communication. To value inclusion is to

personally confirm that every voice is being heard. To stay aware of this, I realize when someone

is visibly holding in a thought, and inquire to their perspective. As someone who keeps my

words to myself a lot, I’ve grasped the impact of this first hand. Inclusion indicates that someone

cares what you think or feel. Inclusion can be at times an objective submission of leadership

(passing the torch), to ensure the multiple perspectives are effectively integrated. Clear intentions

and passionate ideas are important in leadership, requiring attributes of honesty and trust. When

a group is able to effectively communicate and maifest a shared vision, the teamwork process is
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eased. The values of inclusion and communication are both illicit aspects of mindful speaking

and personal contemplation.

When Janice Marturano began incorporating mediation practices in her work place, she was

careful to keep this private. She soon realized the powerful impact of sharing mindful exercises

with her co-workers. The social stigma surrounding introspective practises, whether it be

mystical or more “dirty hippy” in nature, people don't always want to be associated with the

images that meditation elicits (Marturano, 2014). The world we live in today is very extortion

oriented. We are encouraged to socialize, “share what we have to offer,” and develop the side of

us which is extroverted. Quietness and introspection can sometimes be greeted with uncertainty.

It is important for us, and people like Marturano to continue to break stigmatic barriers in order

to show how important quiet introspection is in daily life, in the workplace, home and classroom.

Practicing meditation allows you to return to a peaceful place, reflect and let go of worldly

obsessions or possessions, and return to the world with calmed nerves and a more open

perspective of surrounding situations. Becoming aware of your breath and the thoughts that come

with it is foundational not only in personal meditations but also mindfulness on a larger scale.

There is no way you can grasp the state of others when you’ve yet to become fully aware of

reactions occurring within your own psyche. Meditation gives you time and space to accept your

internal reactions and address them. There is a saying that there are three universes: my universe,

your universe, and ​the u​ niverse. It is important to remain sensitive to all of the realities unfolding

around you. Meditation can bring you to a non- reactive state in which the reality in which you

live is less urgent, the realities around you are more relatable, and the whole of reality is

something you enjoy being a part of. Collaboration is the stuff of growth. Though our human
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systems thrive on communicative interactions, solace is still greatly important to human mental

health. Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, personal reflection is essential to

self-improvement. Constructive criticism from superiors and colleges in certainly beneficial, but

must be received while unreactive in order to avoid passing false judgment over one’s self. You

are your own authority; meditation encourages this.

Throughout this Fall semester, I have practiced daily meditation to regain the sense of

familiarity I’ve had with this in the past. The most challenging aspect of this practice,

personally, was not creating time, but grasping it. My discipline to practice while taking

college courses fluctuated in response to extracurricular events, family traumas, and

requirements in other areas of academia. I would at times find myself avoiding meditation due

to stress, when, in reality, meditation is the exact coping mechanism my stressors required. I

intend to maintain this practice as I know that habits take a long time to take root, and

persistent diligence is necessary to make a practice a component of lifestyle. The most valuable

aspect of meditation my intellect has gained is inner peace. I received this trait through Hap Ki

Do, a South Korean martial art that required me to meditate on a regular basis.

When I was practicing Hap Ki Do anxiety was a rare occurrence. Since senior year of high

school, anxiety has made its nature more familiar to me. Inner peace is never unobtainable, but

over the recent past this peace has become less rooted in my reality. I am determined to return

fully to this practice. I wish for meditation to become as fluid for me now as when I was a child.

The most pertinent aspect of meditation I’ve gained is the importance of maintaining receptivity

to the world and others around you. If you remain unreactive, non-judgmental, and openly

receptive to the ideas and opinions of other, you are maximizing your ability to better serve
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them, and increasing their usefulness to you as you can learn optimally from what they are

presenting. You do not have to be recruited in order to take hold of a situation in which you

might be an asset. As a perceptive and (hopefully) increasingly aware being, you have the

jurisdiction to determine when your insight might aid a situation. Inversely, you have the duty to

know when your leadership will become more valuable when retired to the background.

Collaboration should not be competition. A proper leader knows how to share authority.

Mindfulness can be inserted into almost any activity. Cooking, cleaning, driving, and other

autonomous activities are great spaces to convert to meditative praxes to maximize mental

benefit and minimize detachment and stress toward the surrounding world. Activities such as

speaking other interactions can also utilize active meditation, optimizing relationships.

However, a strong awareness of and relationship to self must be established before enlisting this

mindfulness to better serve the lives of others.

Meditation can vastly reduce the complexity of life, or deeply immerse you in those aspects

of life which are sacred. Upon returning to a reality of rapidly flowing perceptions, you may see

and hear the way you move and speak and begin to understand the effects of a subtle cause.

This understanding can be adopted to understand how others perceive your words and actions,

with or without presiding knowledge of your life and cultures. Contemplating how your

message may be received can be insightful to how you could deliver your words with more

care, inflexion, and effect to give your best impression. In the workplace, school, or even at

home, simplistic and short meditations can clear one’s mind and allow them to return to their

itinerary with eased senses, increasing reception and decreasing reactive tendencies. Studies at

the University of Cambridge involved a meditative monk whose brain scans depicted increased
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and highly concentrated energy levels in the left prefrontal cortex, the region associated with

pleasant perceptions; overall happiness. Meditation also suppresses the right prefrontal lobe

which correlates to more negative cranial reactions (Flanagan, 2009). Solitude allows you to

bring all focus to the reality at hand. What is beautiful, ugly; good, bad; true, false; your moral

and immoral values are on display. What you want for yourself and what is within your current

reach is decipherable. Creating mental space for insight to arise can subconsciously provoke

clarity surrounding topics which cloud our heads.

Philosophy

Think, speak, and act with intent and purpose. ​The importance of consciously

“scheduling space,” defining what is ​important ​rather than what is ​urgent. T

​ he urgent often

“screams louder” than what is important, making us feel responsible for tending to things which

are not necessarily valuable or constructive. “Sometime’s someone else’s definition of ‘urgent’

disrupts your calendar (Marturano, 2014).” People can be disillusioned to what is pertinent in a

moment, concerned with outcome and instant gratification. Often a simple suggestion guiding

them to divert attention toward more productive areas can help them in this, and open

possibilities to mindful thinking. Another aspect which configures our ability to effectively

schedule space is our own ​storytelling​ as “we fall victim to the thinking mind that nudges us to”

meet certain frivolous expectations whether the initiative be due to anxiety or pride. We compose

stories in our heads of how things may play out detrimentally if we skip a repetitive meeting.

This relates back to the ​process of thinking ​ which gives way to threats rooted in worry and

stress. We need to continue in becoming mindful of this constantly fluid thought process in order

to identify what is important rather than what is momentarily urgent.

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Throughout my life I have felt leadership qualities such as creativity, empathy, fairness, and

deliberation flutter within me. As an introverted youth, I let my peers coin me “the quiet kid,”

and in response reserved my vibrant energies only for those who took the time to inquire as to

who I was. They would soon find that “quiet” is a misleading representation of my personality.

About a year ago, I wrote a haiku without realizing its magnitude in pertinence to my personal

transformation from youth to young adult. It reads:

I used to pretend

that I didn’t have a voice.

And then I didn’t.

I found that being the “quiet kid” did not give the few words I spoke anymore meaning.

Rather, when I did speak, no one would listen. For a long time I thought that my leadership

maybe most effective when subtly influencing the task at hand. It took personal experience and

leadership training to show me that leading from the background is not the always most

effective, even if it is one of my strengths. Being the oldest child of three, authoritative

leadership is no stranger to me either. I can take complete control, moving mountains myself

when necessary. However, I’ve never enjoyed this position as much as the understated way of

guiding a situation. The criticism and conflict that can spawn from claiming authority is

unappealing, so I reserve this ability for when there is no one else to claim the responsibility. It

has been a long process reversing the communicative methods I adopted in my youth. Once I

found I wanted to expand my vocal and social abilities, it took years for people to listen to me

the way I wanted. Today, I still speak only in reservation, solely with intent and purpose; yet I
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am open enough to communicate with anyone about anything. Today people listen when I speak.

It feels good to be heard.

Be respectful and conscious in communication. ​Albert Einstein said, “small is the

number of them that see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts.” A​ large part of

communication today takes place over electronic media, therefore mindful communication

must be practiced on this platform too.​ According to Marturano “we have become a society of

moving heads.” Our lives are over-saturated with activity stimulated by technology and

expectations, both societal and our own. This disconnects our senses from our surroundings.

We observe things fleetingly, which makes it all too possible to catch only a small part of a

scenario leading to confusion or misunderstanding. We are less likely to ​see​ the world as it

really is, which makes us prone to conditionally ​feel​ for this world. For this reason, technology

should be used mindfully and purposefully.

To be heard is to be respected. This is why respect is a core leadership value to me, whether

I am playing role of the leader or follower. Without mutual respect there can be no

well-functioning relationship and progress can be inhibited.

Integrate acts of listening and vocalizing. ​I continue to this day in deciphering a

compromise between authoritative leadership and background leadership. The reality of a quiet

leader is greatly attractive to me because less is more. Eyes and ears tend to rest on the more

vocal, interactive, authoritative leaders, creating space for those quiet leaders to simply listen

for the right moment to insert their opinion. There is a saying that “less is more.” Asking for

one thing to go your way rather than trying to dictate or oversee a detailed process will likely

yield more satisfactory results. Understand that multiple perspectives are compose a working
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team and that it is your core values and expectations which are essential to communicate. The

spotlight leaders and other group members receive well-thought insights with open minds. One

idea can begin to shape the project in a wholly unique way. Responsibility usually resides with

the active leader to consolidate all of conflicting opinions. My sense of what is fair enables me

to do this effectively, yet I find this requires more personal sacrifices than remaining in a

contemplative reservation.​ ​I hope to reach a level of comfort with authoritative leadership that

allows me to better serve those individuals around me, and maintain value for my own visions

and ideas. The mediation of passive and active leadership techniques are empowering in

applying mindful contemplation.

​ stablishing a healthy connection with yourself and other is a

An ongoing project.​ E

continuum of a self-strengthening mindset and a devotion or passion for a common vision.

Contemplative leadership techniques and mindful practices have expanded my awareness of

attentions and values. From this stems a strong sense of gratitude which reflects success and

contentment thus far in my life long progress and the yearning I have for future progression

benefiting my own life and that of those around me. Creating space for meditation in my daily

life reminds me of these goals and influences me to encourage the same growth in others around

me.
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Works Cited

Barron, F. (1995). ​No rootless flower: towards an ecology of creativity.​ Hampton Press, Cresskill

Burns, J. M. (2004). ​Transforming leadership: the new pursuit of happiness.​ New York: Grove

Press.

Flanagan, O. J. (2009). ​The really hard problem: meaning in a material world​. Cambridge, MA:

MIT.

Marturano, J. (2015). ​Finding the Space to Lead: a Practical Guide to Mindful Leadership.​ New

York: Bloomsbury Press.

Northouse, P. G. (2015). ​Leadership: theory and practice​. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications, Inc.