My interpretation of a courageous leader is someone who is willing to view the world from a whole new viewpoint and not about trying to come up with solutions through managing or improving situations from inside the structure which created them.
How many fabulous time-management courses and techniques have we tried and behavioural change programs have we attended where the effect is temporary and still the demand on us remains. I’ve often heard, ‘Oh yes, that ‘effective diary management’ technique is awesome! If only I had the time to implement it!”
When I find myself in a place where I feel like I’m needing to juggle time and energy, I bring myself back to one of the most powerful truths I know and that is I AM ALWAYS AT CHOICE.
Its very easy to lose myself in the busy-ness and drama of overwhelm and over-commitment and in that experience, forget that truth. In the moment I have forgotten that whatever is turning up, all the urgencies and “must do’s”, I have chosen. That truth can be a hard one to swallow, especially if it appears that someone else is pressuring me or if its something that I don’t feel like I have chosen and yet, I still remind myself of that truth.
It can feel like everything is important and needs my attention right now but I have learned that if I sit back, take a breath and get off the hamster wheel in my mind (yes sometimes a big effort to do, especially when you may have many people pressuring you!) and remind myself that before I came into the world, it worked well without me and after I leave this world it will work well without me, the avenue of other options open up.
By getting present in this way and getting out of my self aggrandizement, the path clears, my energy replenishes and the most effective action step becomes obvious. Its like my natural intelligence comes into play and I know what’s the most important step. Then I notice that much of the urgent ‘stuff’ gets taken care of and the worst case scenarios that my head comes up with, don’t occur or get resolved by others stepping up and taking responsibility.
And with this being viewed through the context of Courageous Leadership it takes just that, COURAGE and a willingness to do something differently and role model to others that sometimes the most powerful thing to do is do nothing, step out of the reactiveness of the moment, until you are present and choose with a clear mind.