Leading From Within: The Power of Mindfulness, Self-Awareness, and Determination

Leadership is not just about guiding others—it’s about learning how to guide yourself. After more than 25 years in healthcare leadership, I’ve come to realize that the most powerful qualities a leader can develop aren’t found in management textbooks. They’re internal traits—mindfulness, self-awareness, and determination—and they shape everything about the way we lead, relate, and grow.

1. Mindfulness: Leading in the Moment

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present. In leadership, that means more than just paying attention—it means being aware of your environment, your reactions, and the people in front of you. It’s about listening with intention, observing without immediate judgment, and responding from a place of clarity rather than impulse. A mindful leader doesn’t just hear what’s being said—they notice what isn’t. They pick up on tone, body language, timing, and emotional energy in the room.

When you’re mindful as a leader, you recognize your own triggers and emotions as they arise. Instead of reacting defensively to feedback or rushing to solve every problem, you pause. You ground yourself before making decisions, especially in moments of stress or conflict. For instance, when tensions run high in a team meeting, a mindful leader doesn’t escalate—they breathe, regroup, and model calm for the rest of the group. That one pause often shifts the entire dynamic.

Mindfulness also fosters deeper connections. When team members feel seen and heard, they’re more likely to contribute openly, take ownership of their roles, and trust your leadership. Being fully present during one-on-one conversations—without glancing at a screen or rushing through the interaction—signals respect. It says, “You matter. This moment matters.” That kind of attention is rare, and it sets mindful leaders apart.

Ultimately, mindfulness in leadership isn’t about perfection or detachment—it’s about awareness. It’s about choosing to show up fully, moment by moment, even when things are messy or uncertain. It’s practicing presence so consistently that it becomes part of how you lead, how you connect, and how you grow.

One of the biggest mistakes I made early on was rushing through team meetings with an agenda in hand, but no mental space to truly listen. I was physically there, but mentally already on the next item.

That changed during a staff huddle when one of my team members, visibly anxious, tried to express a patient safety concern. I was distracted and brushed past it. Later, I realized she had been trying to tell me something critical. That moment woke me up.

From that day forward, I began practicing mindful pauses—simple, deliberate breaths before I spoke, making eye contact, and giving team members my undivided attention. But I didn’t stop there. I turned to the work of Dr. Jean Watson, a contemporary nursing theorist known for her Theory of Human Caring. One of the foundational tools she promotes is the concept of the “pause”—a brief, intentional moment to ground oneself before responding, listening, or acting. This small but powerful shift allowed me to reset, be fully present, and listen with empathy.

Incorporating Dr. Watson’s teachings made mindfulness not only more accessible but also more meaningful. I began integrating structured techniques such as deep breathing exercises before meetings, body scans during transitions in my day, and short reflective journaling sessions after emotionally charged encounters. I also adopted daily gratitude reflections and set boundaries around multitasking to improve presence. These weren’t just habits—they were strategies that helped me stay anchored in purpose and compassion.

Mindfulness, I discovered, wasn’t about perfection or staying calm at all times. It was about showing up fully—especially in high-pressure environments—by making space for the moment, for others, and for myself. I used to believe that if I wasn’t serene or in control, I wasn’t being mindful. But over time, I learned that mindfulness is actually about being present with whatever is happening—even if that means feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, or uncertain. It’s the practice of awareness without judgment, of coming back to center again and again, even in the middle of chaos.

One of the most transformative moments came during a particularly hectic shift when our team was juggling back-to-back patient admissions and a system-wide electronic chart outage. Tensions were high. Instead of rushing to fix everything or absorbing everyone’s anxiety, I stepped back for just a moment. I did what Dr. Jean Watson refers to as the “pause”—I took one conscious breath before entering the next room. That single breath didn’t fix the situation, but it reset my nervous system. I walked into the room more grounded and was able to reassure a frightened family member simply by being fully present and calm. That’s when I began to understand that mindfulness is less about doing and more about being.

I also started doing what I now call “three-minute check-ins” throughout my day. I would stop between tasks, close my office door, and take deep breaths while tuning into my thoughts and emotions. Sometimes I’d jot a quick note—“feeling rushed,” or “tightness in my chest”—just to name what was happening. No fixing. Just noticing. Bringing that awareness into my next interaction helped me respond more thoughtfully instead of reacting impulsively. When a colleague approached me with concerns about workload, I was able to truly listen, reflect her emotions back, and offer support rather than brushing her off or jumping to solutions.

The path to mindfulness isn’t paved with perfection—it’s grounded in practice. It’s a choice we make moment by moment to pause, breathe, and be fully where we are. It’s sitting in your car before walking into the building, hands on the steering wheel, reminding yourself to soften your shoulders. It’s feeling your feet on the ground during a difficult conversation. It’s learning to say, “Let me think about that and get back to you,” instead of giving a rushed response. Over time, these small choices became the foundation of my leadership and my life. And while I still have days where I fall back into old habits, I now know how to come back to myself—with grace, not guilt.

2. Self-Awareness: Understanding Your Leadership Impact

Self-awareness is the foundation of emotional intelligence. It’s the ability to see yourself clearly—your triggers, your habits, your tone, and how your presence affects others. Years ago, I was leading a project rollout and couldn’t understand why my team was hesitant to ask questions. I later learned that my “all-business” communication style had unintentionally shut down dialogue. I wasn’t aware of how I was being perceived.

After that experience, I started asking for regular feedback from peers and staff, not just about my decisions, but about how I made them feel. It was humbling—and enlightening. I learned that people wanted more transparency, more acknowledgment, and more space to speak up.

Pathway to self-awareness: Set up a monthly reflection routine. Ask yourself: What went well this month? What didn’t? How did I make others feel? Better yet, ask your team. Use their responses not as criticism, but as guidance for growth.

3. Determination: Moving Forward with Purpose

Determination is what keeps us going when things get hard—and in healthcare, things do get hard. There was a point in my career when I was handed a struggling department, a burned-out team, and unrealistic expectations. I thought about quitting. But I reminded myself why I started in the first place: to make a difference in the lives of both patients and caregivers.

I made a plan. I focused on one goal at a time—improving communication, building trust, celebrating small wins. It didn’t happen overnight, but step by step, the culture shifted. What saved us wasn’t perfection—it was persistence.

Pathway to determination: Set clear, realistic goals. When the bigger picture feels too overwhelming, break it down. Celebrate the small wins. Keep your purpose visible—literally. Write it on a sticky note. Put it on your wall. And don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

Mindfulness keeps you present. Self-awareness helps you grow. Determination moves you forward. Together, they form the kind of leader people trust, respect, and want to follow—not just because of what you do, but because of who you are.

If you're looking to deepen these qualities, my Leadership Essentials course and accompanying e-books were created for leaders just like you—those who know that true leadership starts from within. Look for these on my website. And if you're already walking this path, I want you to know—I'm walking it with you.