Table 5.

Themes and illustrative quotes of effects WMT on leadership.

	Themes	Illustrative quote
Relating to others	Listening mindfully	Rather than trying to impose my opinion or approach, I started listening to what people said and how people actually reacted.
	Buffered emotional reactivity	And I’ve noticed that one lets himself emotionally be triggered [in tense meetings]. I was able to become more aware of these emotions and to say [to myself] “Okay, I am not letting myself get involved in this emotional game (...)” or to say “This emotion is partly justified and should be displayed (laughs).” That’s a much more conscious decision now.
	Being less judgmental of others	I am better able to let others have their own opinion. There is not only one truth, not only one way of looking at problems. And that also has something to do with tolerance. (...) I have become a little more sensitive for this.
	Lower degree of self-involvement	I take work seriously but I don’t take myself so seriously anymore.
	Heightened awareness of followers’ needs	I noticed that I went from “I could get upset, get angry about it now” to a mode that I was actually trying to help him get out of the situation as quickly as possible. That was a new experience.
Adapting to change	Accepting change	I am more able to accept situations [at work] that I can’t change anyways. So I do not get so worked up about circumstances. And my emotional state is not so dependent on others’ actions or the environment. There is a certain equanimity.
	Focus on solutions	I feel more able to see (...) possible solutions. I think I have gotten a wider perspective and see more opportunities or leverage points where we can assert our interests.