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Food for the Leader’s Soul – Slowing down!
“Sometimes to learn faster, one needs to learn slower!” Mike Schwarzer
Do you ever find yourself in traffic running late for a meeting or event? At that same time cars in front and next to you seem to drive extra slowly. You are winding around them like and obstacle course to get ahead of them. You might even stretch the speed limit, a little! You finally find yourself clear of them and seem to lose them in your rear vision mirror only to meet them again at the next traffic light. Although, you went through the trouble of overtaking them and stretching the speed limit, you didn’t gain any time!
So, when would you want to slow down?
The simple answer is, whenever you find yourself going too fast! If we look at the metaphor above, what is it that is ‘actually’ going too fast? Yes, that’s right, it’s your mind. Your thinking is rushing, is it not?
So, whenever you find yourself in a situation where your mind seems to rush or is too busy, slow down! When you sense a lack of perspective or clarity of mind, slow down! When you feel emotional, doubtful or unsure, slow down!
Slow down the conversations in your head. And notice how your mind settles from thinking, judging and explaining to listening, observing and exploring.
Slow down your conversations in an important meeting with clients or staff. And notice how more present and connected you are with them and the calmness that you project. Notice the space that you create for them to be more alive and engaged. Notice the questions you think of that draw out their deeper talents and possibilities.
Slow down your thinking when you are facing a complex problem or a situation where you cannot see the forest for the trees. And notice what the deeper nature of that complex problem or situation is about. From a quiet and observing mind, notice the insights and realisations that emerge.
Whenever you find yourself going too fast, slow down before you speed up! 😊
To your best
Mike
About Mike Schwarzer
Mike is a Transformation Professional and Learning Leader who is passionate about helping leaders and organisations to solve the problems that they have not been able to solve elsewhere.
He works with the underlying mental, behavioural and deeper innate dynamics that drive people’s and organisations’ thinking and actions. He creates and holds the space where they learn how to tap into their inner and outer capabilities in transformational ways and lift their perceptual abilities to see their world, its problems and emerging solutions with fresh eyes.
At the organisational level, Mike’s approach challenges the status quo and hierarchical thinking. He takes you into the world of living ‘open & adaptive’ systems and their self-organising nature. From there you will be able to create a workplace culture that naturally draws from the collective wisdom of all its people and that is highly adaptable to the changing winds of a complex world.
For more information about Mike visit www.mikeschwarzer.com.
