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The Importance of Creating a “Mindful Intelligent Leadership” Course and Integrating Mindfulness into the Sustainability Business Curriculum: A Literature Review
Why be mindful?
To be a leader, one has to understand the different areas and levels of intelligence in order to have effective leadership. Because once we understand the different emotions, it will lead us to understand others better and be empathetic of everyone’s situations as best as we can be. Having emotional intelligence signifies stronger leadership in many ways. One of which is having compassion for your underlings and employees. You never know what someone is going through, and the least you can do is be kind. Kindness is something that we all need no matter if we’re going through tough times or not – because a little goes a long way. Applying kindness and mindfulness in one’s daily life can be enriching and it can positively change how people look at the world.
Social intelligence comes into play when reading a room or a situation, big or small. The situation can be as small as selecting a snack for a client, or as big as deciding to open a new branch of the business. Social intelligence can help the leader understand what the company needs on a larger scale, communicate with their employees, and make decisions accordingly. For example, choosing an employee for a new branch of business –– what kind of employee is going be chosen? There are many things to consider for relocation; family, their relationships, their diligence, and way of work. These little considerations make up for a larger picture in making the decision. Social intelligence can help the leader be aware and mindful of all these factors, and the leader can communicate well when the time comes for a relocation of the employee.
Ecological intelligence has to be heavily considered when you are in the fashion industry. The fashion industry makes a lot of impact daily on global waste and carbon emissions. Many factors contribute to why fashion is most likely the least sustainable industry in the world, and a leader or a business owner in fashion needs to be aware of the impact they make environmentally. There are sites like goodonyou.eco where customers can check whether or not their clothes are sustainable and how ethical the company is. Websites like these are a start to making sure that customers are ethically sourcing their products. However, customers are mostly at the end of the chain compared to the companies that are picking and choosing manufacturers for their garments. More companies are more aware of their carbon footprints in the world and are trying to better themselves, but some are using the “green label” as a marketing tactic. A good and mindful business owner needs to be aware of these factors and what they contribute to the Earth.
The change starts from somewhere and if not the big companies, let it be the customer. As the world is changing, many things are evolving as well as regressing. Many companies are being shown their true colours and customers have been pulling themselves away. Baby steps will always make a mile, and being mindful of where you source your garments when you have the privilege to is a start. Because not everyone has the means to afford a fifty-dollar t-shirt when their income barely reaches the first tax bracket. It all comes to understanding where you stand in the world and how you can make an impact, big or small. Being mindful is the first big step one can take.