When we think of mindfulness, we perhaps think of the ways it can benefit us as individuals. Research from Virginia Commonwealth University reminds us, however, that it can also benefit our interactions with colleagues.
Indeed, the researchers argue that the biggest benefits from mindfulness occur when they’re focused on the interactions and relationships we have with others. These interactions tend to infuse compassion and presence, which underpin successful relationships.
“An understanding of how individuals bring mindfulness with them to work, and how these practices may contribute to interaction and relationship quality, is especially relevant as work landscapes are ever-changing and interdependence is increasingly becoming the norm,” the researchers explain.
Bringing mindfulness to work
The researchers wanted to examine how people try to bring mindfulness to work and how that can influence the interactions they have there. Sometimes, these practices may be formal, such as actively engaging in a mindful pause before a key meeting, other times they are more likely to be informal, such as actively listening to others.
The research draws on the experiences of actual leaders to understand how they use mindfulness at work. This included numerous formal and informal interviews with managers and professionals.
“Interestingly, interviewees noted how other individuals around them had noticed the emotional effects of their mindful behaviors on interactions and relationships,” the researchers explain. “We found initial evidence that our interviewees’ efforts toward bringing their mindfulness into the workplace were seen by their colleagues as having a positive effect.”
High-quality connections
They explain that high-quality connections are well known to improve our functioning as individuals and as groups, as they help to facilitate psychological safety and trust.
The study found that as well as mindfulness emerging during interactions, it can also help us to better prepare for future interactions, such as during important conversations with colleagues at work.
“Mindfulness reminds us that our thoughts and emotions are complex,” the authors conclude. “They are contextualized by prior events experienced within a social environment, and within this social environment, individuals must be aware of both their own and others’ thoughts and emotions in order to navigate these complexities with skill and compassion.”
