A Mindset of Serving Others

I have always been interested in the ways our mindset affects our work. So when I came across a class on how to enhance job performance with mindfulness techniques, the idea was especially intriguing to me.

I’d never seen a meditation class focused specifically on the workplace. In what ways could it be beneficial? I did a little research and what I learned has fascinating, and deeper, implications about human behavior.   

Today, more than half of surveyed American employers plan to offer on-site yoga or meditation classes to their employees this year, according to a recent Fidelity survey. With such large numbers, it makes sense that the effects of mindfulness practice on team members—from executives to call center reps­­­—has been well documented. But one surprising study from the University of Washington stood out. 

Respondents recalled an incident they felt guilty about. They then completed either a breathing meditation or a loving-kindness meditation. In breathing meditation, the idea is to focus on your breath as a tool to calm the mind and remain present. Loving-kindness involves sending goodwill to others in a clear, intentional way.

The team members who completed the breathing option reported feeling significantly less guilt afterward. Conversely, those in the loving-kindness group stated an increased need to apologize and make amends to those they had wronged.

In other words, breathing meditation is not a particularly helpful tool when it comes to personal accountability. This is because the practice (in that form anyway) focuses on yourself. In contrast, loving-kindness meditation shifts the emphasis to others, which increases compassion and empathy. 

Yet I believe that the benefits for a business go beyond team alignment. As the study shows, focusing on the well-being of other people, rather than your own, creates greater personal accountability and increases one’s desire to be a force of good in the world. 

So what does that mean for remodeling? 

Most business leaders know that involving their employees in efforts to help the local community results in a team that feels more connected to their work and to the company’s mission. There’s a powerful camaraderie when a group comes together in the service of others.

Yet I believe that the benefits of service go beyond team alignment. As the study showed, focusing on the well-being of other people rather than your own creates greater personal accountability and increases one’s desire to be a force of good in the world. 

It would be interesting to see if this idea could be applied more broadly. I wonder what would happen if you split remodeling salespeople into two groups and studied the effects of different thought patterns on each.

Before starting a sales call, Group 1 would be asked to sit in their car and focus for two minutes on their commission if they close that client. Group 2 would be tasked with spending the same two minutes envisioning themselves helping that homeowner gain happiness with a better living space.

Would there be a difference in close ratio? Customer service? Morale? I can’t say for sure. But what I can say is that as leaders, we can create a mindset in our team that we are there to serve others, whether it’s homeowners, colleagues, or trade partners. And that idea pays huge dividends.