Mindfulness Matters with C-Suite Coach Dee Kendrix: Why Leaders Need to Start with Self

Proven Not Perfect

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What happens when leaders drive without a license? When we race through leadership responsibilities at 180 miles per hour without first understanding ourselves, we miss critical details and create unnecessary risks—for ourselves and those we lead.
In this powerful exploration of mindful leadership, we unpack the fundamental difference between leading from performance versus purpose. For generations, we've been taught to focus on achievement, external validation, and technical expertise. We've become masters at interpersonal relationships while neglecting the crucial intrapersonal relationship with ourselves and our deeper purpose.
The conversation reveals a troubling reality: most organizational ecosystems are governed by wounded, unrealized individuals leading from places of unresolved trauma. Even successful executives struggle to answer simple questions like "Why are you here?" and "What do you want?" without resorting to rehearsed, performative answers. Professional trauma from microaggressions, discrimination, and demoralizing experiences becomes the playbook from which many determine their worth and ultimately lead others.
But there's a profound alternative. Mindful leadership begins with creating space for stillness—just five minutes daily to be quiet enough to hear yourself. This small practice initiates transformation that ripples outward, affecting every relationship and organization you touch. The most powerful question you can ask is simply: "What am I resisting?" This often reveals where your destiny clashes with your current paradigm.
The journey toward conscious leadership isn't about dismantling everything you've learned but rather integrating it while ensuring external validation doesn't drive your decisions. When we recognize our inherent value beyond our achievements, we create space for others to do the same—cultivating environments where excellence, authenticity, and grace coexist.
Take the first step today. Set a timer for five minutes of stillness. Your authentic self is waiting to be heard, and the world needs leaders who lead from within.

Drive, Ambition, Doing, Leading, Creating... all good until we forget about our own self-care. This Village of All-Stars pays it forward with transparency about misses and celebration in winning. We cover many topics and keep it 100. We are Proven Not Perfect™️
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Chapters

1. Introduction to Mindful Leadership (00:00:00)

2. Self-Leadership vs Performance Culture (00:06:20)

3. The Human Experience in Organizations (00:13:28)

4. Professional Trauma and Leadership (00:22:11)

5. The Journey to Alignment (00:35:28)

6. Practical Steps for Mindful Leadership (00:43:14)