You’re skipping the step that makes mindset shifts last

TOGETHER WITH ROKU

It’s go-time for holiday campaigns

Roku Ads Manager makes it easy to extend your Q4 campaign to performance CTV.

You can:

• Easily launch self-serve CTV ads

• Repurpose your social content for TV

• Drive purchases directly on-screen with shoppable ads

• A/B test to discover your most effective offers

The holidays only come once a year. Get started now with a $500 ad credit when you spend your first $500 today with code: ROKUADS500. Terms apply.

Get started today.

THE ART & SCIENCE OF LEADING SELF
The Power of Mindfulness

My friend, mindfulness has become the term du jour in leadership circles. But here's what most people miss: mindfulness isn't some mystical capacity you need to develop from scratch.

It's something every human already possesses.

Being mindful simply means:

• Paying attention on purpose, with intention

• Being in the present moment

• Maintaining an equanimous, non-judgmental state of mind

That's it. No meditation cushions required. No years of training needed. You already have this capacity. The question is whether you're using it intentionally.

Let me share a story that illustrates why this foundation matters more than you might think.

How I Completely Missed the Point 🤦🏽‍♀️

The first time I took a mindfulness class was in 2014. Having recently completed the Georgetown Leadership Coaching Program, I knew mindfulness was important, but I didn’t REALLY understand what it was or how to practice it.

I entered that class carrying the evaluation/judgment mindset that had been drilled into me from Day 1 at West Point. From age 18, you're constantly evaluating yourself and others in that environment. When you transition from that into a career of constant performance reviews, it's easy to carry that forward in unhealthy ways into every domain of your life.

So, when the teacher told us to "just observe our thoughts with non-judgment," I thought she was crazy. I had been judged (and judged myself) in every aspect of my professional life. I couldn’t even conceive of how to do that.

The result: I fought with myself during Every. Single. Class.

I worked to stop thoughts from entering my mind. When they inevitably entered, I worked to drive them out. When that brought more thoughts, I kept fighting as discouragement crept in. I was trying to achieve an idea I had about what mindfulness was instead of simply BEING mindful.

If I had understood back then what mindfulness is (see above 👆🏽), I probably wouldn’t have ended every class angrily rolling up my yoga mat 🤣 and tossing my meditation cushion to the corner of the classroom.

The Evolution 🌱

What happened next was an evolution that took years.

I started with what I now call "snack bites" of mindfulness. I started doing a one-minute breathing exercise a few times a week, then I’d get back to life. Months later, I made an effort to start noticing more of what was around me. Two years later, I started working to develop the ability to notice my physical responses during stressful situations (e.g. noticing my elevated heart rate, raised body temperature, knot in my stomach in real-time) instead of afterwards.

These gradual steps over several years helped me shift from a closed posture to a more open one.

Four years later, I was ready to attempt to learn mindfulness again. What I later came to appreciate was the way the "snack bites" had prepared me.

Why M = f(m) Changes Everything 🎯

Here's what my journey from 2014 to now has taught me:

Translation: Mindset work is a function of Mindfulness.

My ability to develop my mindset in 2014 was constrained by my (in)ability to practice mindfulness. At that time, I couldn't observe my thoughts without judgment, which made it impossible to engage with them differently.

The space for mindset work simply didn't exist.

Think about it:

→ How can you intentionally influence your mindset if you're not aware of what's happening in your mind?

→ How can you choose different responses if you don't notice your patterns?

→ How can you develop emotional regulation if your efforts at self-observation result in you being caught up in fleeting thoughts?

You can't.

This is why mindfulness isn't just another leadership tool. It's the foundation for all mindset development. Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing my complete framework for mindset development as a leader.

Today, we established the container within which that works occurs (mindful awareness).

Next week, we'll explore the leadership capacity that separates great leaders from merely good ones.

FROM INSIGHT TO ACTION
Putting It Into Practice

Start with "snack bites" of mindfulness this week. No pressure to become a meditation master. Just focus on building the foundation:

The One-Minute Reset

• Try a simple one-minute breathing exercise 2-3 times this week

• Just focus on your breath for 60 seconds

• When your mind wanders (it will), gently return to your breath

The Awareness Practice

• In one meeting this week, intentionally notice what's happening around you

• What do you notice about people's body language patterns?

• What sounds do you hear that you normally tune out?

The Physical Check-In

• Notice your physical responses during one stressful moment

• Heart rate, muscle tension, body temperature

• Don’t try to change anything. Just observe.

Remember: The goal isn't to eliminate thoughts or achieve some zen state. It's simply to practice paying attention on purpose. This is how you create the space where all mindset work happens.

DEEPENING YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Resources for You

🧘🏽‍♀️ Want an accessible entry point to mindfulness? (Link)
📚 Check out this practical, no-nonsense introduction to mindfulness meditation. (Link)
⬇️ Looking for a meditation app to support you as a busy leader? (Link)
🔎 Here’s a foundational text on present-moment awareness for leaders. (Link)

EXCELLENCE UNBOUNDED
How I Can Help You

High-performing executive teams don’t happen by chance. They happen by design.

Aligned Senior Leaders Are:

✅ 1.9x more likely to achieve above-average financial performance
✅ 2.5x more likely to have satisfied and engaged employees

Aligned Companies Are:

✅ 58% faster revenue growth
✅ 72% more profitable

Misaligned companies underperform in the following ways:

❌ 50% lower ROIC
❌ 18% lower EBITDA
❌ 25% loss of revenue
❌ Reduced productivity
❌ Slower strategic execution

Book a call to learn more about The Executive Alignment Playbook 🚀, an immersive, experiential leadership program.

Realign your leadership team. Accelerate execution. Drive measurable results.

🎤 Speaking Engagements: My mom can attest to the fact that I LOVE to talk. 😂 Now, I put that talent to work delivering talks on Mindset, Courage, Resilience, & Innovation.

A few past clients include KraftHeinz, Amazon Women @ Payments, PAHEi, & the Panamá Chapter of the International Coaching Federation (I delivered this talk in Spanish).

If you are interested in having me speak at your event, please fill out this form.

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD 📢

Until next Sunday,

Shawnette