I’ve heard it said that if a plane crashes, it’s an accident. If two planes crash, it’s a tragedy. But, if three planes crash – it’s a trend. The minute something becomes a trend, it almost seems to lose some of its deeper, intrinsic value.
Mindfulness is one of those trending subjects that has gained even more traction through our tough year of 2020. For a long time, it has been more esoteric and confined to personal growth spaces, but in the last while, we’ve seen it permeate corporate culture on a global scale.
Yes, it’s trendy. But it offers exceptional value if we include it in our strategies in the workplace.
As worldwide lockdowns created a massive mental health issue (apart from the economic impact!), practices that keep us grounded and help us cope with stress have come to the fore with a more substantial presence than ever before.
For those of religious affiliation, meditation has always been a practice for centring, grounding and journeying to a space of inner growth. For those less inclined to the mystic practices, it’s been a welcome practice for their personal growth and managing the ever-increasing stresses in our competitive environment. It’s a practice that helps us train to be more mindful.
The motor trade is a challenging place to work, and choosing the right team is fundamental to ensuring you hold your own against the scores of showrooms that pepper your suburb. As you contemplate building your team with new recruits, mindfulness can be a game changer for how you prepare for the interviews, and engage with candidates.
Matthew Jones, in his article, Want To Improve Your Hiring? Practice This 1 Thing To Find Top Candidates, reports that his professional clients notice everything from better focus and improved memory to better sleep and decreased emotional reactivity.
In short, it helps them show up better in the world.
The “state of mindfulness cultivated through meditative practice doesn’t just improve the lives of individuals. It can also have a substantial impact on companies.”
Jones goes on to say that “if you’re engaging with people and you’re not 100% grounded in the present moment, you’re going to miss the details. You’re going to miss opportunities to ask key questions that reveal whether or not someone is a good candidate. And you’re not going to have the emotional self-awareness you need to determine if they’re a good fit.”
Here are five of his reasons to incorporate mindfulness in your interviewing process.
1. You listen more effectively to what the other person is saying.
When you’re fully present in a state of mindfulness, you are able to listen with clarity and surgeon-like precision. You’re able to notice what people say and what they don’t. You’re aware of how they convey their messages and how they think. It’s like listening to the engine of a car when it comes in for a service – noticing any fluctuations or changes that should or shouldn’t be there.
To practice mindfulness during an interview, allow your awareness to rest upon your breath. Engage in conscious breathing to feel more present during the interview.
2. You become more sensitive to the emotional tone of the candidate.
As your state of mindfulness deepens, you’ll become more aware of your internal states. You’ll also notice the ways in which other people impact your internal wellbeing and have above average emotional self-awareness. In interviews, then, you’ll get a better read on the emotional maturity and tone of candidates. This is a great way to begin to understand what they will contribute to the culture of your dealership.
Another way to practice mindfulness during an interview is to feel the weight of your body in the chair. To notice the pressure of your feet on the ground. To bring your awareness to the sights, smells, and noises in your immediate, surrounding environment.
3. You discover how they may interact with others much, much faster.
Your ability to observe yourself and others matures with improved mindfulness. As your mindfulness muscle increases, you’ll be faster at noticing the details of how people communicate while most of your peers are focused on what the person is saying. This is a vital component to teamwork and communication.
In a dealership, efficient communication between departments affects KPIs and customer satisfaction reviews – which, as you know, are key factors in securing the success of your dealership.
4. You become more aware of what’s not being said (and why that’s important).
Becoming more mindful makes you more comfortable with silence. And it helps you keep track of what other people aren’t saying. This is very important in interviews, since candidates want to put their best foot forward.
When reviewing experience on a previous project, for example, asking questions about what you’ve noticed the candidates have failed to mention might provide important information. The type of questions that come from noticing what people haven’t said is a great way to shift a candidate from their automated responses back to authentic self-reflection.
5. You can connect in a deeper, more personal way without being unprofessional.
Deepening your meditative practice helps you be more attuned to yourself and others. When you bring this quality of mindfulness into the interview, you’re able to show up as your grounded, genuine self.
Speaking from your heart rather than your mind allows you to connect with others in a more personal way. Sometimes that’s the difference between a good candidate and a bad one. Much like relationships, establishing a meaningful connection is beneficial for both parties.
It’s not about installing an incense stand on every desk, or going on regular yoga retreats – it’s about getting the most out of the moment, but being fully present in the moment. Ultimately, it’s about being the most professional and considerate leader you can be.
So yes, mindfulness is a hot topic. But it also works.