From the Place of Silence

There are many resources available out there that talk about “The Power of…” something or other.  “The Power of Now,” “The Power of One,” “The Power of Less,” “The Power of Us.”  Heck, one of my own company’s is called “The Power of Two.”  And I don’t want to take away the power of anything in this blog.  Instead, what I want to do is point to something that is often overlooked when it comes to the discussion of what is and isn’t powerful.  And that’s silence.

Stop.  Take a moment and just stop.  Whatever you’re doing, whoever you’re talking to, whatever you’re thinking about, just stop.  Turn off any and all sound-making gadgets, as much as you can.  Radio, phone, television.  Now, close your eyes and notice.  Feel the silence that surrounds you.  Can you feel it?  Feel the strength of it?  The power within it?  The longer you stay with it, the more you’ll feel it.  And sometimes that can be a bit uncomfortable.  Silence is powerful for sure.

I bring this up today because I notice that many leaders overlook — or completely forget — the power of silence.  How often do you feel like you’ve got to be talking, reading, typing, interacting with information in some way, shape or form?  I’m willing to bet that non-silence is your primary way of being.  It’s not surprising.  It’s sort of the way of today’s world.  And yet, what I know for sure is that so often what we seek — whether it’s answers, inspiration, peace, connection, grounding, whatever — is found in the silence.

As a leader, I assert that it behooves you to get comfortable with silence.  Leadership is about inspiring change, growth and evolution, and these are most powerfully accessed in silent moments.  Sometimes sound is necessary, for sure.  And silence can be your greatest resource as a leader.  Stumped by a question?  Look to the silence.  Feeling overwhelmed?  Get grounded in the silence.  Seeking inspiration?  You’ll find it in the silence.

Bottom-line:  silence has become a bit of a stranger to most people in our very fast-paced, gadget-inundated world.  Get re-acquainted with silence and watch how your leadership transforms for the better.  Silence is an effective leaders most powerful resource..