Integrating mindfulness and character strengths to develop 21st-century-ready leaders – a case study-mixed methods approach

Abstract

Human Resource Management (HRM) practitioners have traditionally focused on addressing deficiencies in leaders. Despite extensive research on 21st -century leadership competencies, organisations continue to struggle with outdated competency lists and a lack of consensus. While the literature specifies 'what' qualities leaders should embody, there is a gap in 'how' to cultivate such leaders. This study promotes a strengths-based approach to leader development inspired by positive psychology. It explores Mindfulness-Based Strengths Practice (MBSP), an eight-week group intervention combining mindfulness and character strengths practices, in developing 21st -century-ready leaders. Grounded in the Broaden-and-Build (B&B) theory of positive emotions, it posits that MBSP participants may experience immediate benefits from positive emotions and gradual benefits from enhanced personal resources and well-being. Using the Values in Action (VIA) classification, the study introduces a framework using character strengths to identify and nurture leadership competencies. Adopting a critical realism perspective, the longitudinal Case Study-Mixed Methods (CS-MM) design involved an MBSP intervention with working students at a German higher education institution, including an experimental and control group. The qualitative component used thematic analysis of participants' reflective journals to explore mechanisms enabling the development of leadership competencies during the MBSP. Mindfulness and strengths practices increased positive emotions like gratitude, joy, hope, and love, broadening thought-action repertoires and enhancing resources such as optimism, emotional intelligence, resilience, self-awareness, critical thinking, goal orientation, problem-solving, decision-making, strategic thinking, creativity, passion for learning, curiosity, bravery, flexibility, relationship management, communication, teamwork, empathy, and emotional regulation. The embedded quantitative strand complemented these insights by measuring changes in character strengths and mindfulness using non-parametric statistical tests. It quantified the extent of these changes from baseline to the end of the eight-week MBSP intervention compared to a control group, as well as six months post-intervention. The alignment of qualitative and quantitative findings affirms MBSP's positive impact on developing 21st -century leadership competencies. This research links MBSP, positive emotions, and leader development, offering a strengths-based framework for nurturing 21st -century-ready leaders and valuable strategies for HRM practitioners to implement MBSP in organisations.