Interview with Dr. Mansi on Mindful Leadership and Personal Growth

Dr. Mansi has been at the forefront of integrating mindfulness into leadership development, helping professionals cultivate clarity, resilience, and emotional intelligence. Her work focuses particularly on mid-level professionals, empowering them with tools to navigate workplace challenges and advance in their careers. Through her initiative, Happy Mee, she combines mindfulness, self-care, and leadership principles to create high-performing, balanced leaders. In this interview, she shares insights on her journey, the impact of mindful leadership, and how intentional decision-making can transform professional and personal growth.

Dr. Mansi, you’ve made significant strides in empowering leaders through mindfulness. What inspired you to combine mindfulness with leadership development?

Dr. Mansi: My journey to combining mindfulness with leadership development was inspired by a simple yet profound realization—leadership isn’t just about directing others; it’s about leading yourself first.

During my corporate career, I noticed a recurring challenge: leaders, despite their skills and experience, often struggled with stress, clarity, and authentic connections with their teams. Many were leading from a place of burnout rather than balance. That’s when I turned to mindfulness, not just as a practice but as a leadership strategy.

Mindfulness helps leaders pause, reflect, and respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively. It cultivates self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and the ability to make decisions with clarity and compassion—qualities that are essential for high-performing and resilient leaders. My mission is to empower leaders to lead from a place of presence and purpose, transforming not just their leadership style but also workplace culture.

By integrating mindfulness into leadership development, I aim to create leaders who inspire, uplift, and build happier, high-performing teams.

Your work focuses on mid-level professionals. Why did you choose to target this group, and what challenges do they typically face?

Dr. Mansi: Mid-level professionals are often the unsung heroes of organizations. They serve as the bridge between strategic leadership and operational execution, balancing pressure from both ends. However, they face unique challenges—navigating increased responsibilities without corresponding authority, managing upward and downward communication, and dealing with the pressure to prove their leadership potential.

Additionally, many mid-level professionals find themselves stuck in a “career plateau,” struggling with clarity on how to progress to senior leadership roles. They often grapple with self-doubt, stress, and the challenge of balancing performance with personal well-being.

My mission is to help them shift from clutter to clarity, from self-doubt to self-belief, by leveraging mindful leadership practices. Through actionable strategies, I guide them to build mental toughness, improve communication, and adopt a growth mindset, enabling them to thrive both personally and professionally.

At Happy Mee, you combine mindfulness, self-care, and leadership principles. Can you tell us more about how these elements work together in your approach?

Dr. Mansi: At Happy Mee, we believe that true growth and happiness come from a harmonious blend of mindfulness, self-care, and leadership principles. Mindfulness is at the heart of our approach, helping individuals stay present, reduce stress, and develop a deep sense of self-awareness. When professionals practice mindfulness, they gain clarity in decision-making and build healthier relationships both at work and at home.

Self-care, on the other hand, goes beyond just moments of relaxation. It’s about setting boundaries, managing energy, and nurturing oneself physically, mentally, and emotionally. By making self-care a priority, professionals build resilience against burnout, creating a solid foundation for sustained well-being.

Leadership principles tie it all together. At Happy Mee, we emphasize mindful leadership—leading with intention, empathy, and integrity. This means inspiring teams, fostering collaboration, and building workplaces where happiness and productivity thrive. By shifting from merely managing to truly leading, professionals can create an environment where growth is not just a one-time achievement but an ongoing journey.

When mindfulness, self-care, and leadership principles work together, they create a powerful synergy. This approach empowers individuals to thrive personally and professionally, positively influencing their teams and the overall workplace culture.

How does your slogan, “By my choice,” align with your philosophy of leadership and personal growth?

Dr. Mansi: My slogan, “By my choice,” embodies the essence of mindful leadership and personal growth by emphasizing the power of intentional decision-making. It reflects the belief that happiness, growth, and success are outcomes of conscious choices rather than mere circumstances.

In leadership, this philosophy inspires individuals to take ownership of their actions, foster a growth mindset, and lead by example. In personal growth, it advocates for self-awareness and the courage to make choices that align with one’s values and goals. By choosing mindfulness, self-care, and proactive leadership, we not only elevate ourselves but also create a ripple effect of positivity and productivity in those around us.

Can you share an example of how your mindfulness-driven approach has made a difference in a professional’s career or workplace?

Dr. Mansi: One example that stands out involves a mid-level manager who was struggling with high stress, poor team dynamics, and a lack of clarity in his leadership approach. He approached me with concerns about feeling stuck in his career and constantly being reactive rather than proactive.

Through my mindfulness-driven coaching, we focused on building his self-awareness, enhancing his communication skills, and introducing practices like the ‘three-second pause’ before responding in stressful situations. This simple yet powerful tool helped him shift from a reactive mindset to a more thoughtful and intentional approach. We also worked on identifying his core values and aligning them with his professional goals, which brought him a new sense of purpose and clarity.

Over a few months, not only did his team notice the change—commenting on how he had become a more empathetic and effective leader—but his productivity metrics also improved. He was able to reduce workplace conflicts and build stronger connections with his team. Eventually, he was promoted to a senior leadership position, and he attributed much of this growth to the mindfulness practices he had incorporated.

What stood out to me the most was when he shared that mindfulness didn’t just transform his work life but also brought a sense of peace and balance to his personal life. This holistic transformation is precisely why I am so passionate about integrating mindfulness into leadership and workplace culture.