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Mindlessness techniques

University of the People - MBA

BUS 5211 - Managing in the Global Economy

Unit 4

2022

Mindlessness techniques

Abstract

We find that some people are more eager and willing to work through cross-cultural challenges

while others are unenthusiastic, disinterested, and do not achieve integration. Some people show

high levels of confidence while others feel anxious and shy away from challenges. This week,

we will discuss the relationship between the above behaviors with emotional intelligence, self-

efficacy, and the desire to think and consider one’s surroundings according to what is called

mindfulness (1.0), 2012).

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Discuss how emotional intelligence; mindfulness and mindlessness techniques impact self-

efficacy.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage a person's emotions and to

recognize and influence the feelings of others around him. This term was coined for the first time

in 1990 by researchers John Mayer and Peter Salovey, but it was later published by psychologist

Daniel Goleman. Over the years, emotional intelligence has evolved to become an indispensable

skill and indicator of performance. Employees with emotional intelligence are more likely to

remain calm under pressure, resolve conflicts effectively, and respond to co-workers with

empathy (Landry, 2019). Self-efficacy is the level of a person's confidence in exercising control

over his or her impulses, behavior, and social environment. It is the ability to achieve goals. A

person with a higher level of self-efficacy can overcome obstacles. He has an easier time

participating in problem-solving and finding strategic approaches to solving problems presented

to him. Mindfulness is the ability to be aware of all that one experiences within the self, which is

represented by the body, mind, heart, and spirit, and the ability to fully care about what is

happening around him, whether they are people, the natural world, or events. Culturally

intelligent leaders who use mindfulness are more open to possibilities and different perspectives

and allow themselves to receive new information. Mindlessness is a lack of attention that can

lead to learned helplessness, which describes a state of futility after experiencing multiple

failures. Learned helplessness can manifest itself in cultural interactions when a person believes

that working with cultures is too difficult, as a result, the person's behavior, words, and attitude

speak for it, and he loses the ability to escape from this learned helplessness. Learning an

optimistic perspective helps to improve self-efficacy and thus improve the ability to withstand

challenges, mindfulness techniques help to reach self-efficacy and it is possible through

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mindfulness that a person learns to see his point of view in the situation, whether it is related to

people, things or ideas and that the use of mindfulness helps focus on performance and goals

(1.0), 2012).

What role do emotions play in leadership and how does learning to develop an optimistic

perspective of emotions benefit a leader? How does mindfulness help a leader focus on the

performance and goals within the team? How can mindlessness lead to learned helplessness and

how can these actions impact a leader’s performance?

A leader works with different cultures and in unfamiliar environments. Self-efficacy determines

how he feels, thinks, and acts in cultural situations. His beliefs about what he can and cannot do

reflect the level of trust in cross-cultural situations and the consequences of his ability to adapt to

another culture. A leader who has a high level of self-efficacy is not afraid to face cultural

challenges, but rather has faith to be an internal motivation that makes him successful and

involved in the problem. He sets difficult goals and works hard because he possesses

perseverance and flexibility, is committed to the process and goals, and transforms cultural

challenges into opportunities. While we find that people with low self-efficacy give up more

easily, lower their expectations and goals, avoid uncomfortable and threatening situations, and

unfamiliar cultural situations become stressful and frustrating (1.0), 2012). As the leaders are the

ones who determine the style of their organization. If they lack emotional intelligence it may

have far-reaching consequences, resulting in low employee engagement, high employee

turnover, and an inability to achieve effective communication. One of the core competencies of

emotional intelligence is self-management, which means a person's ability to manage their

emotions in stressful situations, maintain a positive outlook even in times of crisis, and adapt to

changes. (Landry, 2019)

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References

1.0), (. (2012). Cultural intelligence for leaders. licensed under CC-BY-NC-SA 3.0.

Landry, L. (2019, April 3). WHY EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IS IMPORTANT IN

LEADERSHIP. Harvard Business School https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/emotional-

intelligence-in-leadership