Tranquility – Mindfulness
We are simply inviting ourselves to interface with this moment in full awareness, with the intention to embody as best we can an orientation of calmness, mindfulness, and equanimity right here and right now. Jon Kabat-Zinn
Tranquility means steadiness and stability; free from agitation of mind or spirit; free from disturbance or turmoil; unvarying in aspect. It means having calmness, centeredness and equanimity.
Tranquil and centered people have “inner composure and self-assurance, whatever the situation. They feel as though they look at the world with confidence, being grounded in solid foundation of their sense of self, their deep knowledge of who they are… (Linley, Willers & Biswas-Diener, 2010, p.102).
When we are out of balance, we may feel anxious and easily stressed. Martin Seligman recommends two techniques that can lower everyday anxieties – progressive relaxation which is similar to a body scan (you tighten and then relax each muscle group of the body until you are wholly flaccid) and regular meditation (focusing on the breath & the present moment). (Seligman, 2007, p.57)
Ellen Langer author of Mindfulness, invites us to simply notice what is new and novel in the things around us (while we’re eating, walking, speaking to our children, presenting at work) – which automatically brings us to the present moment, not dwelling in the mistakes we have done in the past or the insurmountable work that is waiting to be done.
Moreover, in her TED talk, Kelly McGonigal asks how can we make stress a friend? (2013). She shares the results of a study that proved when you change your mind about stress (from stress is a bad for you to stress is normal/ stress prepares your body to meet the challenge) it can change your body’s response to stress. The TED talk is here.
Improvisation – Thinking on your Feet
You can’t think your way through every problem. Trying things and engaging people helps you get unstuck. George Kembel, Executive Director, Stanford d.school
Improvisation is a state of being and creating action without pre-planning. … This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or new ways to act. Improvisation can be thought of as an “on the spot” or “off the cuff” spontaneous moment of sudden inventiveness that can just come to mind, body and spirit as an inspiration.. Wikipedia.
Creative people enjoy improvising, as they naturally strive to produce work that is new and original, creating and combining things in novel and imaginative ways. They thrive on breaking new ground, trying things that have not been tried before… (Linley, Willers & Biswas-Diener, 2010, p.116)
At a recent roundtable, several founders from the “Top 30 Startups to Watch” reveals that they had acting backgrounds and studied improvisation. Walter Driver, the mind behind startup Scopely, says ‘improv’ helps with interacting with people in real-time and in a spontaneous way. His company even offers ‘improv’ classes to staffers. Adam Braun, CEO and founder of Pencils of Promise, notes that ‘improv’ performances help entrepreneurs develop stage presence and much-needed authenticity. The video interview can be found here.
Vision – Seeing Around Corners
The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it. Michelangelo
Visionary people have high strategic awareness. They “pay attention to the wider factors and the bigger picture that will inform the decisions they make to achieve their objectives.” (Linley, Willers & Biswas-Diener, 2010, p.202).
In her talk on what it takes to be a leader, Rosalinde Torres (2013) proposes that one of the three questions to ask a leader is: Where are you looking to anticipate the next change to your business model or your life?
“The answer to this question is on your calendar” Torres adds. “Who are you spending time with? On what topics? Where are you traveling? What are you reading?.. How are you distilling this into understanding potential discontinuities, and then making a decision to do something right now so that you’re prepared and ready?
Great leaders are not head-down. They see around corners, shaping their future, not just reacting to it. (Torres, 2013). Her TED talk is here.
Esteem-building – The Evoking of Self-Belief
It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory… You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership. Nelson Mandela
People strong in Esteem Building help others to believe in themselves and see what they are capable of achieving. Their words and actions help to build self-confidence and self-esteem in others. They clearly see the potential and possibility in people and help them to recognize it for themselves. Esteem builders give people an understanding of what they are good at, even when they do not recognize it themselves. (Linely, Willers & Biswas- Diener, 2010, p.134)
Leaders can build self-esteem by acting as evocateurs: evoking confidence and self-belief in their teams, by allowing individuals to take risks and even fail, by reinforcing accountability and reducing layers of decision-making dependencies. It is also important to create a systematic feedback loop to ensure that people know how they are performing and to provide them opportunities to help others or seek support for themselves.
Dan Ariely, a behavioural economist, in his Ted talk about motivation, says that when we look carefully at the way people work, we find out there’s a lot more at play—and a lot more at stake—than money. Ariely provides evidence that we are also driven by meaningful work, by others’ acknowledgement and by the amount of effort we put in: the harder the task, the prouder we are. His talk discusses how positive reinforcement about our abilities increase performance. The less appreciated we feel our work is, the more money we want to do it for. His talk is here.
Conclusion
The next generation of leaders is in the workforce now, and it sounds like the challenges they will face are immense if they do not get the right balance in development focus. Are they developing the right competencies and skills organizations need? Are they also getting the right learning experiences, life skills, mentoring and coaching that will prepare them for this complex unpredictable environment? What are some of the leadership aptitudes that should be in the development toolbox for leaders?
Leadership development needs to be an inside-out process that focuses not only on experience, competencies and skills but also on contextual thinking skills, increasing self-awareness, connectedness, empathy and understanding how one’s behavior impacts and influences others. When we are leading a business, the real battle is not against competitors, it is against ourselves – what is standing between us and being truly creative and impactful in our leadership.
As coaches it is our job to support our coachees by exploring the many wonderful human qualities that are critical to their success, to facilitate the unlocking of their full leadership potential.
It is then the art of a thriving, creative and mindful leader to master both left and right hemisphere aptitudes, both hard and soft skills, to have lasting sustainable impact on their cause, organization and customers.
References
Books
Seligman, M 2011, “Flourish”, Free Press, NY
Langer, E 1989, “Mindfulness”, Da Capo Press, NY
Linley, A, Willers, J & Biswas-Diener, R 2010, “The Strengths Book”, U.K., CAPP Press
Pink, D 2006, “A Whole New Mind”, Riverhead Books, NY
O’Keefe, A 2011 “Hardwired Humans”, Roundtable Press, Australia
Seligman, M 2007, “What you can Change… and what you Can’t”, First Vintage Books
Articles
Turner, T 2012 “Challenges with leading leaders,”
Spence, G & Cavanagh, M 2009 “Mindfulness, Leadership & the 4-Factor Model,” Harvard Coaching Conference, University of Sydney
TED talks
Duckworth, A 2013 “The key to success? Grit”
http://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_the_key_to_success_grit.html
McGonigal, K 2013 “How to make stress your friend”
http://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgonigal_how_to_make_stress_your_friend.html
Torres, R 2013 “What it takes to be a great leader”
http://www.ted.com/talks/roselinde_torres_what_it_takes_to_be_a_great_leader.html
Ariely, D 2012 “What makes us feel good about our work”
http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_what_makes_us_feel_good_about_our_work.html