The impact of mindfulness programs on entrepreneurs and leaders in the technology sector

• Ano de defesa: 2025
• Autor(a) principal: Couto, Alan Souza
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: eng
• Instituição de defesa: Biblioteca Digitais de Teses e Dissertações da USP
• Palavras-chave em Português: Mindfulness; Incerteza; Innovation; Inovação; Leadership; Liderança; Organizational resilience; Resiliência organizacional; Uncertainty
• Link de acesso: https://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/12/12142/tde-11022026-182244/

This study examines the influence of mindfulness practices on leadership behaviors and organizational innovation in uncertain and rapidly evolving environments. Focusing on leaders and entrepreneurs in the technology sector, the research explores how mindfulness contributes to emotional regulation, self-awareness, reflective decision-making, and empathetic leadership. A qualitative approach was adopted, based on semi-structured interviews with 14 participants - seven with prior mindfulness training and seven without such experience. The findings indicate that leaders with mindfulness training exhibit greater emotional composure under pressure, more adaptive and reflective decision-making, and a stronger ability to foster psychologically safe and collaborative environments that encourage experimentation and innovative outcomes. In contrast, leaders without mindfulness experience tend to rely more heavily on structured problem-solving and analytical reasoning, which supports operational effectiveness but may constrain creativity and exploratory behaviors. Overall, the results suggest that mindfulness influences organizational innovation indirectly by shaping leadership practices, team dynamics, and approaches to risk and uncertainty. This study contributes to the literature by integrating perspectives on mindfulness, leadership, and innovation, offering empirical insights into the mechanisms linking individual practices to organizational outcomes. From a practical standpoint, the findings provide guidance for leadership development programs seeking to cultivate adaptive, resilient, and innovative leaders capable of navigating complex and uncertain contexts with greater clarity and effectiveness.