Recipient of ProQuest most downloaded award, available from ProQuestAAI10241984Nov 28, 2016 University of Pennsylvania Doctoral Dissertation. Dissertation committee included:
Annie McKee, Phd, Program Director and Senior Fellow, Penn CLO & Medical Education Teaching, Learning, and Leadership Division, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education (Case Western Reserve University, PhD in Organizational Behavior).
Darren Good PhD, Pepperdine University, Graziadio School of Business and Management (Case Western Reserve University, PhD in Organizational Behavior).
Michael Baime, MD, Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, Director, Penn Program for Mindfulness.
Summary:
In-depth exploration of leader attribution of workplace benefits to mindfulness. Utilizes qualitative and ESCI analysis (EI measurement framework) to identify the process of behavioral change. Data collection involved modified behavioral event interviews resulting in nearly 1200 pages of transcripts. Data was also collected that was not directly related to the research question.
Those findings are being shared in articles and/or appear in books published to date, such as:
Building Blocks of Emotional Intelligence: A Series of Primers
Abstract
This qualitative research study examined detailed reports by senior organizational leaders linking mindfulness to improved leadership effectiveness. Extensive research supports the existence of a relationship between mindfulness and cognitive, physiological, and psychological benefits that may also have a positive impact on leadership effectiveness. Currently, however, little is known about the processes potentially enabling mindfulness to directly influence leadership effectiveness, and as a result this study was designed to explore this gap in the literature.
Data was collected through in-depth interviews with forty-two organizational leaders in North and South America and Europe, many with a history of leadership roles at multiple global organizations. Participants credited mindfulness for contributing to enduring improvements to leadership capabilities, and data analysis revealed new findings clarifying the perceived relationship between mindfulness and tangible results for organizational leaders. Specifically, the results indicate that mindfulness is perceived to contribute to the development of behaviors and changes to awareness associated with improved leadership effectiveness.
A potential relationship between mindfulness and the development of emotional intelligence competencies linked to increased leadership performance was revealed as well. The contribution of this study to current literature is also discussed, as are recommendations for future research. Keywords: mindfulness, organizational leadership, emotional intelligence, leadership effectiveness, leadership development, mindful leadership, leader empathy, leader emotional self-awareness, leader emotional self-management, leader social awareness, leader relationship management
