Think first class about everyone around you, and you'll receive first-class results in return.
~David J. Schwartz, Author
As business coaches VIM Executive Coaching guides executive leaders through the intricacies of leadership. As such, we are “quite familiar” with the age-old argument about the value of hiring top notch business school talent. The argument generally follows the line of whether education and/or other credentials are good predictors of business or non-profit organizational success. Usually, the disagreement pits Harvard or Wharton Schools of business versus “good schools.”
We realize we are stepping on an academic minefield with this discussion. There is no doubt the better schools can attract (and afford to pay) better educators however, when it comes to predicting outcomes, the results are all over the map.
Before we bash the blue-ribbon schools, we must concede some of their graduates, in addition to being brilliant, have mightily contributed good works, compassionate works to society. And, for obvious balance, mediocre business schools that have produced (academically) mediocre human beings.
Brilliance can be measured in a sense. Brilliant minds, the brightest and the best, are snapped up by hugely successful, companies that harness their IQ’s to produce stellar results. However, there is no debate that incredible executive leaders have come out of business schools that are good, but not necessarily Stanford’s or Yale’s.
Mish Mash
By now, you might be scratching your head as to what side we favor. Does VIM Executive Coaching champion brilliant students coming from brilliant schools, smart students from “decent” schools, good students from the “school of hard knocks,” what? The answer is simple: yes. All of the above.
For, it is a mish mash, partly because of our belief that grades and even schools, predict little in the scheme of things. There are far too many factors involved in terms of success in executive leadership and business leaders.
Obviously, brilliant minds and brilliant business school “products” have failed when the best of business plans fail. Conversely, we have seen organizations with scatter-brained ideas and middle-of-the-road talent skyrocket to unimagined heights. So, the obvious question, is there any predictor of executive leadership success? We believe the best predictor of executive leadership success is mindfulness.
Why Mindfulness?
As the quote we placed at the start of this post states, the mindful executive understands those around them are essential to the organization i.e., it isn’t only about them. We also need to share, the most mindful of mindful executive leaders can’t necessarily “rescue” a failing company however, they typically “rescue themselves” when it is obvious they must move on to another situation.
By focusing on the present and the situation at hand, the mindful executive is able to properly assess circumstances, authentically and compassionately interact with those around them, and to use insights to relate to the challenges at hand.
Not surprising, business schools, from the best to the not so great, usually don’t touch on mindfulness, let alone mindfulness meditation. Sadly, the world of “mindfulness” does not come up against the world of the digital and its friend Al. Such is the shame, for employee turnover and management failure are major problems in today’s workplace.
The mindful executive doesn’t lose the learned skills, rather the learned skills can occupy a much more desirable place within the context of awareness. An executive for whom “first-in-class” is all important will invariably come in second place to the executive who makes those around them feel first class.