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Almost two years ago, I wrote the two articles linked in the sidebar, defining within them the new term I had created, career mindfulness. Today, I am defining this term more clearly:
Career mindfulness articles
Career Mindfulness [Part 1 of 2] (CareerHD)
Career Mindfulness: Focus on Becoming [Part 2 of 2] (CareerHD)
If mindfulness is to play close and kind attention in a nonjudgmental, yet purposeful manner to enhance creativity and wellness in work environments worldwide, then career mindfulness means paying close and mindful attention to how, over time, our career behaviour within the workplace impacts not just our own health and well-being, but that of all others with whom we work. Whether one works for themselves, or for a business, or for the public sector, our behaviors at work can actually increase creativity, self-worth, a sense of purpose, productivity, and even kindness in the workplace and beyond it – for career mindfulness positively informs work culture, both locally and worldwide.
Career mindfulness (CM), then, is a conscious engagement with our own ethics, implanting these core values within our workplace in order to align these strengths within the drive of our career path – incorporating the positive purpose of helping others and improving society within our career goals. Career mindfulness walks a straight ethical line with honesty, curiosity and problem solving aiming to implant fairness for all in our actions and strategies, choosing to act with integrity and a firm respect for facts. If people do not take the time nor interest to respectfully engage with one another at work – mindfully, attentively and honestly sharing knowledge, intellectual insights and friendship – work culture suffers from a lack of authenticity and depth. And without a respectful, sharing culture in the workplace, it soon becomes toxic. If workplace toxicity becomes embedded, that workplace culture may well implode.
An excellent of example of this implosion is the current abysmal atmosphere within the U. S. Congress, more specifically in the House of Representatives, where career mindfulness is not only discouraged, but punished. Founder and former editor-in-chief of The Bulwark, the conservative Charlie Sykes, characterizes the current widespread growing disillusionment within the ranks of Congress as a result of that institution’s enforced dysfunction.
I believe Republican Mike Gallagher resigning from the chaos of Congress when he did was a decisive act of career mindfulness. Gallagher understood that in doing so he was sending a powerful message to his party. The U.S. has been suffering from an utter lack of courageous career mindfulness in Congress – and the result has been the implosion of due legislative process. Congress has now been a toxic environment for almost a full decade. The current U.S. political system shows us that even one toxic person can have much broader social, psychological, emotional and professional impacts on families, political parties, communities and government institutions.
There are many other public examples of CM, such as the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to actively engage with the horrific legacy of the residential schools system. The TRC engaged Indigenous peoples in Canada to share their stories to help heal their pain and achieve greater understanding, empathy and appreciation for their experiences and trauma. This is an act of career mindfulness taken on to encourage each Canadian to engage in mindful civic actions now to create a better, more empathic future possible for all.
Another example taken from business life would be the nomination of Penny Wise – who has worked to explore barriers to equitable access to STEM education – to receive the honour of Canadian Business Leader of the Year in 2020. In Canada, we tend to honour those who give back to their communities, whether they are politicians, business leaders or individual citizens who positively contribute within their lives and/or careers. These actions are critical to perpetuating a culture of CM: a mindful, giving, compromising, collaborating culture where decency and rationality remain at the centre of our working lives.
“Career mindfulness embraces progress toward problem solving and compromise, aiming for the greatest benefits for all.”
Career mindfulness ultimately nurtures the positive potential within one’s own career, but also changes and influences, with that positive movement, the careers and personal growth of everyone surrounding them. CM embraces progress toward problem solving and compromise, aiming for the greatest benefits for all. Career mindfulness builds consensus, reaches out, does not bully nor abuse, considers outcomes for others, engaging with integrity, gravitas and respect. Ethical consensus sought around essential truths should be the goal when considering any problem. When one is looking as a group to resolve problems, whether in government or in business, or within organizations, what is needed are resolutions that make sense, that are fair to all, that are financially feasible, and that accomplish the greatest benefits to citizens/organization members/clients.
Humans consulting with one another utilizing CM to resolve problems find that excellent, ethical minds work constructively to find innovative compromises to problems, creating solutions that improve lives. Moreover, in any negotiation phase with others, by employing CM, we change our understandings of one another, despite our differences. With CM functioning well, the process of attaining a compromise is often as defining as the solution itself. Career mindfulness, then, possesses transformative power. With the practice of career mindfulness, we not only continuously transform and grow in wisdom and hope in our work culture throughout our careers, we also transform our society to reflect that same wisdom and hope.
