It Was A Long And Stressful Week. I Was Tired. I Wasn’t Sleeping And I Knew I Wasn’t Operating At My Best. My Pre-Frontal Cortex Was Really Tired And All I Could Focus On Was Negative. Something The Brain Does Really Well When It Is Exhausted And Under Pressure. It Was At That Moment I Wondered If I Could Do This, And Questioned My Leadership. I Made A Poor Decision, Took Some Of My Stress Out On My Team And Thought To Myself; Maybe It Is Time I Waved The White Flag. Yes It Was A Very Bad Week So Let’s Be Gentle. We Have All Been There. We Are All Human.
Recently I read Shawn Achor’s book on Before Happiness: The 5 Hidden Keys to Achieving Success, Spreading Happiness, and Sustaining Positive Change. He is the expert on happiness and positive psychology and his books are pretty amazing as he also covers neuroscience (his dad was a neuroscientist). Now as you know I am a huge fan and teacher of neuroscience and when I am tired or stressed, I should know this brain stuff. But sometimes the brain just takes over, and everything around me is negative which happens so easily when you are tired. Except I AM the Director of my Brain and I can change my perception and reality. I ultimately choose my vantage (a place or position affording a good view of something) points. And they then become my Leadership Ad-vantage.
Clever hey?
Now Shawn talks about the coffee cup experiment in his book. I am going to use a bowl (only because I saw this on Brain Games Show this week).
Draw a bowl. Try it…
Most of us draw it like this. Side on, even though most of us look at bowl when we are facing downwards. What else can I bowl look like? A smile, half moon, an igloo? When you look at the image, you can see other things other than a bowl. Look at the picture or situation differently, change your perception or reality and even think about it creatively. And you see the bowl differently don’t you? It’s not only a bowl, but something with a number of possibilities
Change the Frame and You Change the Game
Where am I taking you? Leadership can be tough. Leading people, making decisions, leading change, inspiring and motivating others, being our best, focusing on our vision – and there are days where it is incredibly rewarding and amazing and days where it sucks. But it also depends on your vantage points and how you see it. Yeah it tough if you focus your vantage points ONLY on the tough. If you sat down and wrote about all the incredible or positive things that happened that day or week, you would see how your Leadership is a HUGE Ad-Vantage. And it’s amazing for the mind as well as engagement, outlook, motivation and productivity!
Leading people can be hard but also incredibly rewarding as I love to inspire others to dream and do more hence I change my vantage points. Making decisions can be difficult at times but at least I know when it is made that I have made the best choice I could. Leading change is HARD as well as exhausting but gives us growth, innovation, new opportunities and new way of thinking, doing and being. Being my best involves not ignoring the negative but using it to my advantage – and ultimately focusing on the positive. For instance; what did I learn from my poor decision and maybe there is a silver lining – and on this occasion there was.
Leaders; success and happiness come from your perception and reality. If you set your reality to a glass half empty and you can’t do this, guess where your vantage points will anchor – on the negative and yeah you can’t do this. Focus your vantage points what was great and positive. I am not saying ignore the negative, except yes it was a bad day and also accept the positive and wonderful things you achieved, did or created that day. You will soon find that as a leader, your mind will be a HUGE Ad-vantage for you!
Don’t worry, I did change my vantage points that week and I didn’t throw in the towel. I changed my focus on how lucky I am to have such an incredible team. Also every day I am changing someone’s life for the better where they are seeing themselves as leaders. And I even make a point every day to tell someone they rock and I know it makes their day. I have got this! Actually, I am owning it!
Now ROCK it, OWN it and FOCUS on your BEST!
We are hosting a series of an amazing (of course I think this!) Public Leadership Programs called #Leadership is an Attitude in Brisbane which covers Leadership, Neuroscience, and Change. Our programs are all focused on the latest and greatest in Leadership, Neuroscience, Action Learning, and Sustained Change – whilst empowering you to be the best you can be! Check them out!
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