The CIO as Quantum Leader: Part 5

By Steven C Burrell

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Part 5: Strengthening Our Quantum Leadership Muscles 

While Quantum Leadership may seem natural, it is challenging to develop because it exercises leadership muscles that are often undeveloped. Prensky (2009) suggested that we are limited in our perceptions and constrained by the human brain’s processing power and functioning. As a result, we tend to go astray in our thinking in ways that limit our wisdom. Our natural human limitations can interfere with our ability to embrace quantum thinking fully. For example: 

  • We make decisions based on biased and erroneous data. 
  • We make assumptions, often inaccurate, about others’ thoughts or intentions. 
  • We depend too much on educated guessing and verification (the traditional scientific method) to find new answers. 
  • We are limited in predicting the future and constructing what-if scenarios. 
  • We cannot deal well with complexity beyond a certain point. 
  • We find it difficult to hold multiple perspectives simultaneously. 
  • We have difficulty separating emotional responses from rational conclusions. 
  • We forget. 

Some of these failures arise because we do not have access to necessary data or relationships. In contrast, others stem from our inability to conduct complex analyses, derive meaning from the ever-increasing volumes of data, understand others fully, or access alternative perspectives. These factors reduce our capacity to judge situations, evaluate outcomes, and make practical decisions wisely.  

The ability to exhibit creativity, self-understanding, and personal growth is not obtained accidentally or without effort; it requires regular mental and spiritual exercise, including periods of reflection (Porter-O’Grady & Malloch, 2015). Fortunately, available and emerging digital tools can overcome these deficiencies and attain true digital wisdom. 

A growing body of research suggests that everyday practices can help leaders and organizations shift their consciousness from separateness and selfishness to connectedness and caring. Activities such as meditation, walking in nature, creating music, routine exercise, and prayer help quiet our five senses and slow the brain’s analytic cognition. They help cultivate the mind, body, and spirit-raising perceptions and awareness of how our actions impact others and our surroundings. Quantum Leadership skills can become part of our “muscle memory” through the practice of mindfulness, reflection, appreciative inquiry, active listening, and gratitude.  

Mindfulness Meditation 

Mindfulness is the practice of purposely focusing your attention on the present moment—and without judgment. Jon Kabat-Zinn (2009) defined mindfulness meditation as “the awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally.” Mindfulness meditation is a practice that gives us a deeper understanding of self and frees us from distortions and noise around us, and gives us insights for leading more meaningful and purposeful lives. Part of mindfulness is not just letting go of things around you but also learning to observe without judgment.  

Steps to mindful meditation (Karayannis, 2021): 

  1. Choose a regular time each day for mindfulness meditation practice, ideally a quiet place free from distraction. Many people like to make mindfulness meditation part of their morning routine. 
  1. Set a timer. Start with just 5 minutes and ease your way up to 15-40 minutes. 
  1. Find a comfortable sitting position. Sit cross-legged on the floor, on the grass, or in a chair, your feet flat on the ground. 
  1. Check your posture. Sit up straight, hands in a comfortable position. Keep the neck long, chin tilted slightly downward, tongue resting on the roof of the mouth. Relax shoulders. Close your eyes or gaze downward 5-10 feet in front of you. 
  1. Take deep breaths. Deep breathing helps settle the body and establish your presence in the space. 
  1. Direct attention to your breath. Focus on the part of the body where the breath feels prominent: nostrils, back of the throat, or diaphragm. Try not to switch focus. 
  1. Maintain attention to your breath. As you inhale and exhale, focus on the breath. If attention wanders, return to the breath. Let go of thoughts, feelings, or distractions. 
  1. Repeat steps 6-7. For the duration of the meditation session. The mind will wander. Simply acknowledge this and return to your breath. 
  1. Be kind to yourself. Do not be upset if focus occasionally drifts or if you fall asleep. Meditate with eyes open and rearrange posture to a more erect (but still relaxed) position if very tired. 
  1. Prepare for a soft landing. When the timer goes off, keep your eyes closed until you are ready to open them. Be thankful. Acknowledge your practice with gratitude. 

According to Nortje (2021), mindfulness is fostered through regular meditation or other practices and incorporating mindfulness into all aspects of your life. Choose one activity during the day to perform mindfully with complete awareness. The best type of activity that you could choose would usually be done automatically, for example, driving, showering, cooking, eating, exercising, or walking. With practice, you will bring mindfulness to daily activities and your leadership practice.1 

Reflective Practice 

Reflection is one of quantum thinking’s essential skills and exercises the whole brain across IQ, EQ, and SQ dimensions.  Reflective practice increases our self-awareness and in developing a better understanding of others. Reflective practice also develops creative thinking skills and promotes active engagement in work processes.  

Reflective practice is best done at the end of the day. It should be done in a comfortable setting, free of distractions. It can be a quiet place or with music that helps you relax and focus.  

  1. After sitting quietly, focus on what your body feels to calm the mind. 
  1. Then ask yourself “Why” or “What” questions: 
    What happened today?  
    Why did that happen?  
    Could I handle that differently, and how so?   
  1. Be aware of your body and feelings.  Do answers to these questions create tension in me?  Why?  
  1. Continue to ask yourself, “Why?” This repeated process will generate an insight that causes the body to let out a deep sigh of relief, and the tension it holds dissolves.  

Thinking about what has happened is part of being human. The difference between causal ‘thinking’ and ‘reflective practice’ is that reflective practice requires a conscious effort to think about events and develop insights into them.  

Appreciative and Humble Inquiry  

Good communication relies on good relationships and vice-versa. Appreciative inquiry is a new way of looking at the world that builds on strengths, the power of diversity, and our relationships within a whole, rather than reductionist problem-solving investigations. Humble inquiry is about asking questions in a way that shows your colleagues that their perspective matters and, importantly, that you respect their decisions. 

As CIOs, we can easily fall into the trap of focusing too much on problems (e.g., root cause analysis) and deficiencies. A prolonged deficit created by focusing on negative aspects of issues drains the organization’s energy, motivation, and goodwill. On the other hand, the practice of appreciative and humble inquiry builds trust, engagement, and interest, which creates the foundation of productive and meaningful relationships.  

Quantum leaders use appreciative and humble inquiry in one-on-one and group discussions. They invite broad perspectives from others to share their ideas and opinions. Appreciative inquiry begins by engaging others in positive thought by framing positive questions and avoiding negative phrasings. Generating a positive image of the future influences our behavior in the present and helps bring about the positive anticipated results.  

  1. When presented with a situation, take a few minutes and look at both sides of the issue. 
  1. Make a mental list of everything positive about the situation before touching on the negative aspects. You will find that any situation will not appear as bad as we think when we notice the positive first.  
  1. As the discussion progresses: focus on the pertinent details and avoid “all or nothing” thinking and over-generalizing a situation. 

Appreciative Inquiry is a shift from looking at problems and deficiencies and instead focusing on strengths and successes. It works in one-on-one coaching and team building to create system-wide change. Quantum leaders know that appreciative inquiry can change mindsets from the negativity that drains energy into positivity that energizes and promotes the exploration of new ideas and possibilities. Even one pessimist in a group can hinder everyone else’s positive attitude, so engaging everyone in positive thinking and appreciative inquiry is essential.  

Practice Active Listening for both Context and Content 

There are two elements to any communication– the content and the context. Content is the what, the data, the facts, and the information being shared. Context refers to everything else when somebody speaks with you – the environment, the media used, relationships among participants, the backdrop or situation, and of course, the emotions. As CIOs, we often have to listen intently to messages to understand intricate details. Quantum CIOs also seek to understand and develop the context of dialogue to enrich our understanding of content. 

Table 3: Contextual vs. Content Listening 

Contextual Listening Content Listening 
Circumstances The message 
Conditions Components 
Framework Players 
Environment Truth 
External Factors Perception 
Emotions Issues 

Quantum leaders know the importance of being a skilled listener to understand the “what” and the nature of interest, emotion, concern, energy, and other contextual factors from the speaker’s perspective. They pay attention to what is not being said. Quantum leaders know that when you are listening to somebody completely, attentively, you are listening not only to the words but also to the feeling of what is being conveyed, to the whole of the matter, not part of it. For example, is the conversation open, based on curiosity or trust, intent on exploring ideas and promoting growth and understanding. Or is it defensive, withholding, biased, self-serving, and intent on casting blame?  

Contextual listening moves us beyond diagnosis mode and into the type of listening that we do as coaches. It is recognizing that the person describing a situation is bringing it to us within a particular context. We are not judgmental but rather embrace diverse points of view that can more deeply inform us. Contextual listening is about listening for others’ context and bringing together disparate ideas to obtain a more holistic perspective. Contextual listening embraces diversity and can lead to new ideas and new ways of thinking. Being aware of conversational context can also be a self-coaching tool to shift your thinking. 

Listening to a conversation context allows quantum leaders to introduce consciousness into the conversation, help others identify and recognize their feelings, and embrace diverse points of view based on shared core values to communicate and resolve complex problems. Gathering information through empathy skills can also clarify the strength of communication emotions. Awareness of the speaker’s emotions and intent can help you engage more deeply, ask better questions, and de-escalate tension and conflict. Skillful listening allows participants to engage in more authentic conversation and move productively towards shared understanding and solutions.  

Active listening is a building block for open, trusting, and accountable relationships and involves: 

  • Be in the moment. Put aside distracting thoughts and listen holistically. Block outside conversations, people-watching, smartphones, and other environmental distractions. 
  • Be aware of your thoughts. Everyone is guilty of having “inner conversations” when listening. Be aware of these inner thoughts, such as judging, dreaming, solving, or rehearsing what you want to say. These become obstacles that get in the way of active listening.  
  • Develop countermeasures obstacles. Coach yourself, remind yourself to focus on the sender when distractions occur or your mind wanders. 
  • Listen for context. Approach conversations to extract context first. If in a group conversation, seek others’ interests and listen for the value created in the conversation. 
  • Avoid judgment. Listen with a mind to understand what is said and not judge what is said. 
  • Use all your senses. Listen to what they say, how they say it, and their body language by maintaining eye contact. Listen with your heart to better understand the emotions of speech and communicate empathy. 
  • Provide reflective feedback. As an active listener, your role is to simply listen. Reflecting, restating, and asking questions are essential – just make sure you are doing this to check you understand the content and context and not discuss, negotiate, argue, influence, or correct.  

It is incredibly difficult not to filter, assume or judge when we listen. By strengthening our active listening skills, we bring our whole selves to the conversation and pay close attention to the content being shared and the contextual components of conversations. Quantum leaders who are well-practiced in the art of active listening create an environment that supports deeper, more honest, and authentic communication.  

Combine Mindfulness and Gratitude 

The Quantum leader uses gratitude to build intrinsic motivation and a culture that aligns with the organization’s ethos. Mindfulness and gratitude work well together. While mindfulness encourages us to focus on the present in a non-judgmental way, gratitude encourages us to appreciate and express gratitude for others.  

One way to combine mindfulness and gratitude is through gratitude journaling. Every day, spend a short period writing down three items for which you are grateful. This list can include material things, people, thoughts, experiences, or anything else that comes to mind. Spend a little extra time noting why you are grateful for that experience and how it made you feel to deepen your experience of gratitude (Nortje, 2021). 

A second way to combine mindfulness is to incorporate active gratitude into your mindfulness exercises. By incorporating a gratitude element, we are accentuating positivity in our experiences. Rather than downplay your feelings of a negative experience, try to find opportunities for gratitude. 

Table 4:  Comparison of Negative Experiences vs. Expressions of Active Gratitude 

Negative Experience Active Gratitude 
I am terrified about the job interview. I am so nervous. I am grateful to present my skills to people whom I admire. 
I am worried that I might not finish my work by the deadline. I am grateful to show what I can produce when I work hard. 
I am afraid that my partner will think that my feelings are unimportant. I am grateful that I have a partner with whom I can share my innermost feelings. 
I am sad about my dog passing away. I am grateful for all the memories that I have.  

Appreciation and Recognition 

Quantum leaders know that appreciation and recognition are ways of expressing EQ and SQ. Communicating appreciation is an essential leadership trait.  Appreciation is critical for intrinsically motivating employees and has been identified to be a highly effective motivational instrument that can have a significant positive impact on employee job satisfaction and performance as well as overall organizational performance (Zani, Rahim, Junos, Samonol, Ahmad & Merican, 2011) and (Rahim & Duad, 2013). On the other hand, the lack of recognition of employee achievements is the Achilles heel of leadership, leading to poor organizational performance and high turnover (HBR, 2020).  

When effective recognition is provided in the workplace, a favorable working environment is produced, which intrinsically motivates employees to become committed to their work and excel in their performance. Highly motivated employees serve as a competitive advantage because their performance leads an organization to accomplish its goals and business strategy and achieve growth and prosperity (Freeman, 1978). 

Prior studies of higher education IT workers have shown that simple, timely and accurate handwritten thank-you notes have the most power to elicit intrinsic motivations and connections among IT workers (Burrell, 2013). Though their effect is limited to about two weeks, such notes have a very positive and significant effect compared to other forms of recognition. In contrast, the traditional annual awards are too distant from the recognized act, and the reward is undervalued and less meaningful. Moreover, financial rewards have limited intrinsic motivational qualities (Silverman, 2004) and have a temporary effect (Whitaker, 2010; Schechter, Thompson & Bussin, 2015). They deter creativity to new approaches, encourage employees to focus on whatever will earn a bonus, create unhealthy competition, and reinforce rewards as entitlements (Zobal, 1999).  

Quantum leaders use sincere and timely recognition to leverage the benefits of immediate and powerful reinforcement of desired behavior while setting an example to other employees that align with organizational objectives in a dynamic and continuously evolving work environment.  

Emotional Intelligence 

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to understand and manage one’s own emotions and influence others’ emotions. EQ can make the difference between a good leader and a great one and is a fundamental building block of Quantum Leadership. A leader with a high degree of EQ is aware of their actions and feelings, demonstrates empathy, communicates effectively, listens to wants and needs, is adaptable to change, and can invoke intrinsic motivation in others.  

Goleman (1998) developed a framework of five elements that define emotional intelligence: 

  1. Self-Awareness – People with high emotional intelligence are self-aware and understand their emotions. They are confident and trust their intuition but are also willing to take an honest look at themselves. They know their strengths, weaknesses, and Achilles’ heel, working on these areas to perform better.  
  1. Self-Regulation – This is the ability to control emotions and impulses. People who self-regulate typically do not allow themselves to become too angry or jealous, and they do not make impulsive careless decisions. They think before they act. Characteristics of self-regulation are thoughtfulness, comfort with change, integrity, and the ability to say no. 
  1. Motivation – People with a high degree of emotional intelligence are intrinsically motivated. They are willing to defer immediate results for long-term success. They are highly productive, thrive in challenging situations, and are very effective in whatever they do. 
  1. Empathy – Empathy is the ability to identify with and understand the wants, needs, and viewpoints of others. People with empathy are good at recognizing others’ feelings, even when those feelings may not be obvious. As a result, empathetic people are usually excellent at relationships, listening, and relating to others. They avoid biases, stereotyping, and judging too quickly, and they live their lives in a very open, honest way. 
  1. Social Skills – Comfortably interacting with people with good social skills is another sign of high emotional intelligence. Those with strong social skills are typically team players. Rather than focus on their success first, they help others develop and shine. They can manage disputes, are excellent communicators, and are masters at building and maintaining relationships. 

We may not all be naturally gifted with emotional intelligence. Fortunately, EQ can be learned. Here are some exercises that build your EQ and your quantum muscle:   

Practice Mindful Meditation to Self-Regulate in the Moment 

When you experience anger or other strong emotions, slow down to examine why. Remember, you can always choose how you react to it, no matter what the situation. Leaders who regulate themselves effectively rarely verbally attack others, make rushed or emotional decisions, stereotype people, or compromise their values. Self-regulation is all about staying in control. 

To thy Own Self be True and Practicing Vulnerability 

Hold yourself accountable. If you tend to get defensive or blame others when something goes wrong, stop. Commit to admitting your mistakes and face the consequences, whatever they are. One self-correcting trick is when you have a negative thought or catch yourself being defensive or deflecting, discreetly snapping a rubber band on your wrist or pinch yourself. This subtle action associates an immediate negative stimulus and reminds your brain to think differently. It is simple but effective. 

Journal Your Reflective Inquiry 

As we have already discussed, a reflective inquiry is an important exercise. By journaling your findings, you can record your self-analysis concerning how you react to others. The act of reflecting is itself an expression of EQ and strengthens your quantum muscles. Reflecting, documenting, and returning to your journal periodically to review and measure your progress can help you develop and measure your progress in developing EQ.  

Be Hopeful and Find Something Good 

Motivated leaders are usually optimistic, no matter what problems they face. Adopting a positive mindset is a choice that can become natural through practiced thoughtfulness. Every time you face a challenge, or even a failure, try to find at least one good thing about the situation. If you cannot find something positive to build on, you may need to broaden your thinking or gain more perspective from others. There is almost always something positive if you look for it with the right attitude and perspective. 

Use Empathetic Phrasing in Humble Inquiry 

As you work to become more self-aware of your own emotions, think carefully about your word choices with colleagues. Rudder (2021) identified high empathy phrases that can be incorporated into your humble and appreciative inquiry vocabulary that can help you connect with and relate to others with empathy: 

“Tell me more.” 

“How do you like to be communicated to?” 

“I appreciate you.” 

“What are your thoughts?” 

“I have a different perspective.” 

“Are you ok?” 

“I hear you.” 

“I am sorry.” 

 ‘I was wrong, you are right,’ 

“I do not know. What do you think?”  

“I made a mistake by not doing/considering _______. How do we learn from this?” 

Pay Attention to Body Language 

Body language can speak louder than words and signals to others how you feel about a situation.  Learning to read body language can be a real asset in a leadership role by giving you insights into people’s thoughts, emotions, and dispositions and providing the opportunity to respond at the moment to adjust communication strategies. 

Social Skills 

Leaders who do well in the social skills element of emotional intelligence are effective communicators. They are open to hearing bad news as well as the good news. They are persuasive and able to get their teams energized and engaged around new initiatives.  They are also good at resolving conflicts diplomatically.  

Learn Conflict Resolution 

Leaders must know how to resolve conflicts between their team members, customers, or vendors. Learning conflict resolution skills is vital if you want to succeed. 

Measure your EQ 

Periodically measuring your emotional intelligence using various instruments can help you understand your EQ level. Instruments such as The Hay 360 Emotional Competence Inventory (ECI) provides an assessment and development tool for building emotional intelligence competencies in the workplace.2  Whether you are just starting to develop your EQ or working on improving yours for some time, it is helpful to know where you stand and pinpoint which elements of emotional intelligence you need to strengthen. 

Empathy is critical to successfully managing a high-performing organization. Leaders with empathy can put themselves in someone else’s situation. They help develop the people on their team, challenge others who act unfairly, give constructive feedback, and listen to those who need it. Fostering people’s intrinsic motivations through empathetic engagement increases their job satisfaction and signals that their contributions are valued.  

Summary 

The Quantum leader engages in a whole workout – body, mind, and soul to draw upon broad and diverse inputs to lead organizations through complex and sometimes paradoxical times. Anyone can strengthen their Quantum Leadership by strengthening their skills and abilities to engage deeper consciousness. Strengthening our quantum muscles allows us to tap into and amplify our IQ, EQ, and SQ to bring our whole selves to our leadership roles.  

CIOs need to continuously build their business, educational, and technical acumen through professional organizations, formal training, and relationships. Acquiring IQ is challenging, particularly technical knowledge is increasingly difficult at the pace of technological change, particularly as it permeates all institutional functions. As CIOs become more engaged in our institutions’ whole operations, we must also develop our business, education, and research acumen in the IQ dimensions.  

Having the proper intellectual ability and technical know-how is the one-dimensional minimum threshold but does not distinguish the average leader from a good one. CIOs must also develop their emotional intelligence to lead their institutions effectively. EQ research on more than 500 organizations by the Hay Group and Goleman (1998) shows that EQ more than IQ predicts top performance and accounts for over 85% of top leaders’ outstanding performance. Many tools and methods are available for developing one’s EQ, ranging from self-help exercises to formal education certifications. Continuously developing your EQ and cultivating greater EQ in others is another fundamental element of Quantum Leadership. 

While CIOs need to build their IQ and EQ, quantum leaders – engage their whole selves by developing their spiritual intelligence (SQ). SQ draws upon our consciousness to tap into broad, diverse, and previously unsourced inputs relevant to leading our organizations. Meditation exercises quiet the mind and focus our consciousness, which amplifies our IQ and EQ. More advanced activities such as site deprivation may have even more powerful implications for developing our whole brain to stimulate our senses and consciousness (Kupers, Pietrini, Ricciardi, & Ptito, 2011). The use of SQ brings our leadership to new heights by leveraging our spiritual consciousness that underlies everything and defines the quantum dimension. Quantum leaders employ SQ skills to lead through complicated, seemingly unpredictable, and sometimes paradoxical situations while keeping themselves and others focused on positive intent and good outcomes that benefit all.  

Part 6 will conclude this series by summarizing Quantum Leadership and introducing areas where quantum learning might be further applied.

Reflection Questions 

  1. What is one thing you can start doing to strengthen your quantum skills? 
  1. What goals might you set for yourself for strengthening your quantum abilities? 
  1. How might you know if your quantum skills are improving or having an impact? 
  1. How can you bring positive energy and informed choices to your leadership practice? 

References in this Section 

Karayannis, N. (2021). Mindfulness based stress reduction. Stanford Health Care, Center for Mindfulness. Available at https://med.stanford.edu/content/dam/sm/pain/documents/mbsr.pdf  

Kupers, R., Pietrini, P., Ricciardi, E., & Ptito, M. (2011). The nature of consciousness in the visually deprived brain. Frontiers in psychology, 2, 19. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00019  

Nortje, A. (2021). How to Practice Mindfulness: 11 Practical Steps and Tips. Positive Psychology.  Available at https://positivepsychology.com/how-to-practice-mindfulness/   

Rudder, C. (2018). Five Self Evaluation tools for Leaders. The Enterprise Project. Available at: https://enterprisersproject.com/article/2018/2/emotional-intelligence-test-5-self-evaluation-tools-leaders