Che Marville is the CEO of Ellivram Media, the founder of Limitless Academy for Human Potential and Coaching, and the host of the Let’s Talk Podcast.
Che has held many senior executive roles, such as the Senior Vice President for Origin Active Living, the Co-Vice President of the Ontario New Democratic Party, and the Senior Advisor for Wellness at the University Health Network.
With over three decades of training and coaching experience, Che has been a keynote speaker and trainer for countless executives and health professionals in the private and public sector on topics including human service, employee engagement, diversity, equity, and mindfulness.
We asked Che some questions about mindfulness, and how business leaders can benefit from and implement the practice:
What does mindfulness mean to you?
Mindfulness is an umbrella term for a form of meditation.
The act of noticing and observing inhalation and exhalation brings the mind-body system into soft focus and inner quiet. The slow process of contemplation that can be done anywhere builds self-awareness, concentration and emotional resilience.
The practice is informed by mental attitudes and beliefs like letting go of judging oneself and others and cultivating attitudes like compassion, non-judging and patience to release the intellectual and mental stress so many humans experience daily.
How do you see mindfulness helping business leaders?
Mindfulness is a phenomenal tool for processing information, managing multiple and accompanying projects, building trusting relationships, uncovering unconscious bias and healing internal suffering.
Mindfulness supports relationship building, providing a deeper understanding of the needs of employees, clients, board members and customers.
Mindfulness is also a fantastic process for DEI and building belonging amongst the team.
The whole idea of slowing down and noticing the breath and being still allows the mind to become more calm and present. Mindfulness can lower blood pressure and affect the entire body function and improve immunity and the decrease of inflammation.
When leaders value mindfulness, it permits employees to create room in their lives for the practice of contemplation, and that might come in many ways.
How does mindfulness affect productivity?
For a long time, we have championed multitasking, and now the evidence is clear, we know that doing too many things all at once can be detrimental to the mind, the body and relationships around you. In addition, doing too many things can derail goals and slow down productive outcomes.
However, our technology is changing how we operate, and we have to be more intentional about caring for our physical and mental bodies.
How can mindfulness be used to grow your business?
Mindfulness does not grow one’s business; however, mindfulness grows the capacity for an entrepreneur to be mentally agile and focused.
When leaders embrace mindfulness, they model the behaviour that will affect their employees’ lives, but more importantly, when an organization commits to mindful awareness, it improves relationships, trust, and transparency.
Can you provide some tips on how business leaders can start practicing mindfulness?
Mind-fullness vs mindlessness can be infused into everyday business practices in simple ways, like at the beginning of a meeting and quieting the mind before speaking.
I always say to test the process for 21 days to establish a new habit, take fifteen minutes a day by yourself to start the practice. If you don’t have fifteen minutes for yourself, then there is a problem.
Interested in reading more interviews? Check out our blog, where we interview thought leaders and executives across a variety of industries on topics such as goal setting, empathy, resilience, and gratitude.
