INSIGHTS (on leadership/self-leadership)
If you struggle, even occasionally, with concentrating and staying focused in “crunch time” (or anytime), here’s help. It’s from my new book, The Mentally Strong Leader, and it’s called “The Mental Spotlight.” Here’s how it works (and it does, work).
Picture a spotlight in a dark theater shining onto a stage, like so.
The beam of light is narrow at the top, then broadens when it hits the stage. This image is a metaphor for how you’re going to create intense focus.
First, ensure you’ve created the surrounding “dark theater environment” by removing distractions. Mostly, put your mobile devices in another room. In this way, you establish firm “terms of engagement” with your devices; you won’t engage with them when it’s time to get down to business. And, no, keeping the device near you, but turning it off, or committing to not check it while you’re working, simply isn’t enough. A study from the University of Chicago shows that just the presence of a mobile device is a “brain drain that reduces available cognitive capacity,” sapping your ability to focus.
Wherever your location, go to a quiet space without traffic, or put on earphones as a signal you’re not to be disturbed. On your computer, close all applications, especially email and social media, except the one you’re working with, in full screen mode.
With a darkened surrounding environment now, picture being at the top of the beam of light, at its narrowest part. It’s narrow because this is where you decide what you need to focus on. Many of us don’t have a problem focusing per se, we have a problem deciding what to focus on. We jump from task to task or try to mentally multi-task (doing two cognitive things at once), which we think we’re great at, but we’re not. So, don’t multi-task, single-task, and choose what to focus on.
Continuing with the image of the spotlight, now tell yourself to stay within that beam of light and ride it downward, maintaining the intensity and sharpness of focus on your task. If your attention strays outside that beam of light, away from what you’re trying to concentrate on, simply forgive yourself and move right back within that focused beam. You lose even more focus when you beat yourself up for not focusing, so resist the impulse.
Now, picture moving to the end of the beam of light where it’s at its widest. It’s here that you’re really locked in, in a state of flow, mentally surrounding your task. It’s here where you successfully drive your task to completion. That’s the state of mind you’re aiming for with this focusing exercise.
(By the way, if it helps, go ahead and print the “Mental Spotlight” visual and keep it on your work desk)
IMPERFECTIONS (a mistake many make)
I keynote for and train a lot of executive leadership teams, and one of the things I share that gives the audience the most pause, that triggers the most reflection, is this. I ask them,
“With your words and actions, are you planting seeds of growth in others, or seeds of doubt?”
The words you choose and the tone you take as a leader have a reverberating effect. Case in point, I remember when one leader dressed me down unnecessarily harshly for a mistake I made, in front of a group of my peers. I remember every single word, and I remember my confidence going due-south thereafter. Oh, by the way, it happened 25 years ago.
Don’t make the mistake of forgetting that you live in a fish bowl as a leader; everyone is watching, and the words you choose, the actions you take, matter. They’re remembered, good or bad. You can plant seeds of growth, or doubt, in others. You plant seeds of growth when you assume that others care about doing good work, when you encourage them to learn from mistakes and embrace failure (up to a point), and when you invest in them with coaching.
So, I ask you to conduct a self-assessment from time to time. Before you speak or act, ask, “What am I about to plant?”
IMPLEMENTATION (one research-backed strategy, tip, or tool)
This week’s implementation idea came to me from the Chief Marketing Officer at Taco Bell, Taylor Montgomery, who asks his people:
“What’s one thing you can do this week to be a more selfless leader?”
Here are some prompts to get you started with selfless leadership acts (building off the Implementation section in last week’s issue):
• What might you give up or let go of?
• What teachable moments might you use to, well, teach?
• How might you roll up your sleeves, without being too hands on? (remember, micromanagement crushes souls, not goals)
• How can you help solve a circumstance?
• How can you remove a barrier?
• How might you help teams see around corners and anticipate problems?
• How might you share the spotlight, or duck out of it altogether?
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