Have you ever watched a football game on TV? Of course you have. Ever seen a really bad play that clearly did not go the way the Head Coach or the team had planned? All the time. What happens next?
In the span of, I don’t know, maybe 30 seconds the entire competitive landscape is re-assessed by the Head Coach and a new course of action is set in place. Players gather at the line of scrimmage in their designated roles and you can see from those amazing TV close-ups the power in their eyes and the fact that they are totally present with the knowledge that a very powerful force is about to be unleashed upon them and they need to be ready.
What would happen if the Head Coach spent those 30 seconds all ticked off about that last play and focused on his frustration? What would happen if he spent those 30 seconds thinking about how cool it will be in the 3rd quarter when they run that new “hocus pocus” play they’d invented that week? Um, yeah, exactly.
Now think about your business. Then think about your life in general.
How much time do you spend like the players on the field completely immersed in the present moment, fully aware of who is in front of you, what they are communicating to you and what is coming at you (whether it be your competition, your clients, your teams or your loved ones)?
Why should you think about this? Because your power is in the present moment. You have absolutely no power over the past and the only power you have over the future is to affect it in the present. You probably never thought of it this way, but you hold all of your power in the present moment. Just like the football players all lined up and ready for that next play with power in their eyes. What can you do in the present moment with the enormity of that power?
- Make a bold decision
- Hear the tone in your client’s voice that signals how confident they really are in their strategies
- Accept the reality of your competitive landscape
- Choose to believe someone – or not
- Admit to yourself you love someone
- Start
All pretty powerful, I’d say.
As leaders we are bombarded each day by information, messages, questions, and requests.
How often do we absorb the reality of the present moment, of the competitive landscape, of what is coming at us and choose to address these things full force? How often are we actually distracted or unfocused instead?
Do we delegate our power away…and if so, why? Do we fail to be fully present with our teams, our boards, our children, our friends?
How would our business – and our life – be different if we harnessed the power in every moment? How would your business and your life be different if you harnessed the power in your present moment?
Please let me know in the comments – I’d be honored if you would share your thoughts!
22 Response Comments
Lisa – to take your poetry into mere prose seems churlish, but bear with me. Being “present” is arguably the most important thing leader can do, especially in relationships with their employees. Too many leaders treat employees (even their leadership teams) as distractions from “real” work. They fidget, look at their blackberries, interrupt, fail to maintain eye contact, and don’t listen. You’ve seen other leaders with the opposite quality, the ability to “make you feel like you’re the only person in the room.”
Nearly every major management textbook talks about the importance of listening and learning for leaders — indeed, imagine what any of us could do if we’d commit ourselves to whomever we’re with at the moment…
Best regards.
Sean
@Commammo
Actually Sean, I think you said it much better than I did!
It is absolutely the most important thing a leader can do and the textbooks just can’t drive it home. I think, perhaps, you know it when you see it in action – like you said, the leader who makes you feel like you’re the only person in the room when they are talking to you. I have heard that said about Bill Clinton (who I’ve never met) and Chris Brogan (who I have, and he gave me his utmost attention.) It makes all the difference, and once you see it you can learn to emulate it.
How do we inspire it all on its own? 🙂
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and to comment – it means so much to me!
It takes effort to stay in the moment with distractions abounding. When someone walks in your office, move away from your keyboard and monitor. Focus on the person. Listen carefully. Ask questions; rephrase what they’ve said. Take a deep breath.
You’ll discover when you make the effort to be in the moment, you will better remember the conversation and the information the person conveyed. Paying attention will give you unstated information from body language or hesitations. The most important part is actually connecting with the other person, and they will feel heard.
On a basic level, it’s about showing respect.
Susan,
You’re right; it does take effort – a focused effort. I absolutely love your clear direction here – it’s priceless!
I agree with you completely, the most important part is the connection and I love that you remind us of the other side of the equation – the other person feeling heard.
I can’t thank you enough for stopping by and taking the time to comment! I genuinely appreciate it. 🙂
You’re welcome. I have an oyster shell on my desk – with “now” painted in gold inside – to remind me about the present moment.
I love that! It’s actually a great idea for a business gift…!
It’s incredibly hard to keep that focus in our multi-tasking world – very important message for all of us who talk, walk, tweet, think, and juggle balls all at the same time!
.-= Steve Woodruff´s last blog ..A New Venture – Impactiviti Talent Network =-.
Steve,
Amen to that. Thanks for the kind words about the message…I am trying to live up to it myself! 🙂
You are preaching to my choir. I never ever deal with my teammates and my company based on the past. It’s like what Rafiki said in Lion King. It’s in the past! It may hurt but the only thing you can do is harness the moment and grab the future. I love reading posts like this that echo what I am so passionate about. Great post my friend.
.-= Jonathan Saar´s last blog ..Help Social Media Research in Multifamily Housing Industry =-.
I love knowing that you’re in that choir with me! Awesome Lion King example… 😉
Thank you my friend – I treasure your new friendship!
You know it is funny how the blogging world is like a conversation that just keeps going. Last Sunday Chris Brogan posted about “Women in the Workplace” and did they really want to be leaders. About 100 people engaged in the topic, a good conversation. I am pretty sure you were among the 100.
When I was in the corporate world I can honestly say that I never thought about power. I thought about doing the right thing. Treating each person how I would like to be treated. I listened intently and worked very hard to help them to grow. Susan Tacker is correct. So often when we interact with another person, we are not listening, but trying to form our thoughts and response all the while the other person is talking.
As I said to Chris the other day: Henry Miller wrote in “The Wisdom of the Heart”: The real leader has no need to lead – he is content to point the way.
It is late, I am tired, but it was nice visiting with you tonight.
Judy,
I am so honored to have met you through this blog! No, I was not aware of the conversation that Chris sparked but I trust it was a very respectful and vibrant discussion.
I absolutely love the quote – and am so thankful that you stopped by! Loving these conversations…!
Hi Lisa,
This is a great post. Reflecting on Hank Wasiak’s ABT (Asset Based Thinking) I think the football team analogy plays to that. Rather than getting caught up in the negativity of the bad play, you leverage that situation as a learning lesson and move forward with a newer, better strategy utilizing the experience you’ve gained.
Another similarity I see with your thoughts is with Steve Farber’s Extreme leadership principles. In his book on this subject he refers to OS!M (Oh Shit Moments) and how we can take those moments of fear, or uncertainty and courageously make ourselves better, by pressing forward.
You have laid some great groundwork here with this article… thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. Much appreciated!
Mike
.-= Michael McCurry´s last blog ..Extreme Leadership: How Will You Change Your World? =-.
Mike,
Thank you! I love that you’re thinking about this from the ABT perspective. It’s an approach that has been unexpectedly highly valuable to me and I know to you as well.
And yes, those OS!Ms do require courage, don’t they?
Thank you so much, Mike, for all of your kind words, for your friendship and for you vast amount of encouragement. You know I couldn’t have done this without your help! 🙂
So often as I listen to women confide in me, the fears are not for today- which is a known entity- but rather for the future as they project it to be.
I share with them to take today- accept what we know we are facing today- and truthfully ask if not what we really fear is something we think might happen. So often this is the case.
I work every moment on my active listening skills
Thank you an insightful post-
Most of the time, that is all most of us need.
.-= ridgely johnson´s last blog ..comment, humor, anyone? =-.
Ridgely,
Thank you for taking the time to share the insights that you have shared with those who are close to you – I really appreciate that. I love how you say you work every moment on the active listening skills – they certainly keep us in the moment by requiring our full attention!
I appreciate you stopping by, Ridgely – and genuinely appreciate you sharing your thoughts. All the best!
I really loved this post because I am a recent volunteer football/strength conditioning coach for a large high school in NYC. One of the lessons I try to impart to my players is that present awareness, rather than regret or remorse is the only thing that will get them close to peak performance.
I recently quit as the head of a large youth nonprofit. In reflecting, I realize that I, and the others around me, became too invested in titles and roles to be fully present. I also think that the pace leaders keep prevents them from being in touch with their somatics – their moving, feeling, and breathing. This takes a toll.
.-= Hans Hageman´s last blog ..Figure THIS Out And You’ll Avoid Life’s Dead Ends =-.
Hans,
I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this perspective. Thank you for sharing your recent experience with the youth nonprofit – and your insightful reflection on it. I look forward to learning a lot from you in the future.
Thanks again for stopping by, for reading and for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Kind of reminds me of Godin’s new one Linchpin, where he discusses how in many tribal cultures, the one who gives the most gifts has the most power.
David,
I love that connection you’re drawing to Linchpin and you’re right – giving our full attention to our colleagues, teams, friends and family is a gift in the greatest sense.
Can’t thank you enough for taking the time to come by and to comment – it means a lot to me! Hope to see you here again soon. 🙂