November 2008

This month I share what I learned from a frog on the Metro.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends. Have a wonderful meal with friends and family.

Cheers,

Karole

PS: I am always delighted to hear your thoughts and comments; ksutherland@sutherlandconsulting.com

A Magical Metro Ride

I was travelling on the Metro in Washington DC when a young woman soldier sat down next to me. She attracted my attention because she seemed to be close in age to my daughters. Settling into her seat, she pulled a package of origami paper from her army backpack and carefully chose a square. From amongst the many vibrant colours she selected white, in spite of my telepathic requests for lime green or eggplant purple. White would have to do. The first fold turned the square into a triangle, and was followed by many more precise movements, all thoughtfully executed. I watched in fascination as she serenely folded, creased and unfolded her square of paper. In fact I was so intent I almost missed my stop. At the last moment, as I scrambled to exit the train, I asked her what it was going to become. With a shy smile she told me “A frog.”

As I continued my day she remained in my thoughts. My practical side wanted to know how one learns to see a frog in a 4 by 4 inch square of paper while my reflective side was captivated by the meditative nature of her actions. Carefully, rhythmically and intently she folded and turned the paper over and over, oblivious to the crowded train. And as I became immersed in her actions, I too, became lost to my surroundings. But what stayed with me, was the calming effect of watching her do something as simple as fold a piece of white paper. I was surprisingly refreshed and renewed – the equivalent of a mental spa on a crowded Metro train.

We all talk about how busy, frantic and crowded with urgency our lives have become and I am sure we’d all leap at the chance to find a few moments of peace and quiet each day. So what stops us? Why do so many of us feel impoverished when it comes to contentment and tranquility? Following my experience on the Metro I have given a lot of thought to why we crave more balance and quiet moments and yet our actions are just the opposite.

If you think I’ve found the answer, I’m about to disappoint. I haven’t. I’m beginning to think that the reason might have more to do with each of us as individuals than it does with anything that’s out there – our boss, the company culture, or family obligations. Just as we find the time to pick up the kids from daycare, go to meetings, read our email or brush our teeth, it’s possible to take a break from the action and simply let go of our thoughts and drift along, even for a few minutes. And like those activities, we need to make it a habit for it to take root. We need to create a sense of urgency around disconnecting and letting our thoughts take us where they may. Call it meditation, reverie or daydreaming or whatever works for you.

If you need ‘permission’, you will be reassured to know that daydreaming is one of the best sources of creativity and innovation. When a group of researchers investigated where and when people got their best ideas many of the answers were activities that help us slow down enough to make some sense of all the stimuli that bombard us on a regular basis. Stopping the busyness can be a catalyst for connecting seemingly random and unrelated thoughts, creating insights and ideas. Inspirations can spring from these off-line moments that elevate our imagination and let us create possibilities.

What simple steps could you take to refresh and renew yourself in the midst of a busy day?

IDEAS YOU CAN USE

1. Create a habit that helps you easily step out of your busyness. Figure out what works best for you, whether it’s a walk, a strenuous session at the gym or daydreaming at your desk. Make it a priority to have a regular method of disconnecting that allows your mind to wander. The trick is to make it a habit, something you simply can’t do without. And that may mean you have to start by scheduling it into your calendar and making a pact with yourself to keep your commitment no matter what.
2. Find the value to create the motivation One of the best motivators for a new behaviour is a real belief in the value of the change you are making. If we believe that the behaviour will lead to outcomes we value we can make significant changes. What price would you place on decreasing the stress in your life? Would you be willing to learn a new technique such as meditation if you could be convinced of the benefits? There is solid evidence to show that meditation shifts brain activity to different areas of the cortex - brain waves in the stress-prone right frontal cortex move to the calmer left frontal cortex. This mental shift decreases the negative effects of stress, mild depression and anxiety. Creating a map of cause and effect, coupled with a valued outcome, can be a powerful motivator. What would it be worth if you could create a new habit that allows you to achieve contentment and tranquility each day?
3. Challenge your assumptions about your work Michael Bungay Stanier has a wonderful way of looking at work – it’s either bad work, good work or great work. Bad work is a waste of time, energy and life; good work is the familiar, useful and productive work you do and do well and great work is the work that matters. It inspires, stretches and provokes you. What’s your great work and how could you get more of it in your life? What are you doing that’s good work which someone else could do? Which aspects of your good work could you turn into great work by using your imagination and creativity? Would doing more great work and less good work help you find more fulfillment and that elusive nirvana - balance?

Do something unexpected and challenge your team to daydream every day; encourage them to close their eyes and see where their amazing imaginations might take them. Make slowing down to see the connections and really hear our thoughts a priority. What ideas are we missing because we are too busy to notice them?

About the Sutherland Consulting Group
The Sutherland Consulting Group empowers leaders and teams to achieve extraordinary results. We offer a range of programs including high performance team development and leadership coaching as well as workshops that help teams improve communication and manage conflict. Ask us about “Coaching for Great Work” – a program that introduces and embeds coaching in organizations to enhance leadership effectiveness.

We specialize in developing great teams and outstanding leaders.

Call us: 604.788.9145
Email: info@sutherlandconsulting.com
Web: www.sutherlandconsulting.com
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