Continuing the Theme of Silence

So here’s an interesting discovery:  noise is exhausting.  That’s what I’m experiencing this morning.  For a variety of reasons I’m not feeling as energetic as I usually do.  Could be an “end-0f–the-week” thing, or even the result of my brain being in idea-generating mode for the better part of this week (like full-on, no-holds-barred, couldn’t-stop-it-if-I-tried idea-generating mode).  It could even be that my body is fighting a bug of some sort.  No matter what the cause, however, the fact is I’m tired.

This is not a new experience for me, and my guess is you can relate to it too.  Fatigue, after all, is part of the human experience.  And it’s definitely part of the leadership experience.  As a leader you’re on the go, on the move, doing what needs to be done, hearing what needs to be heard, responding to what needs to be responded to.  What I’m being reminded of this morning is that, when I’m tired — and in particular when my brain is tired — there’s a way that “noise” of any kind takes my already tired self and quickly moves me into the land of complete and utter exhaustion.  Which, given the world that we live in, is rather a hazardous situation.

I know I’ve talked before about the importance of silence — the importance of creating it, of accessing it, of allowing yourself to get still and really immerse yourself in it.  Have you tried doing so?  It can be a challenge, no doubt about it.  Everywhere you turn, there’s noise.  Even as I sit here in my “quiet” living room typing this blog, I’m aware of my child splashing in the tub, my other child muttering about the hockey stats, the furnace making some sort of white noise, my keyboard clicking away, the fridge humming, the dog breathing (actually, snoring) — sounds are everywhere.  And when I’m tired, these sounds feel prohibitive to my recharging.  So, what’s the solution?  My sense is that I need to let some of the sounds just be what they are (the furnace), do my best to minimize or turn off the others (my typing), and make reasonable requests of those around me to take the noise down, even if only for a few moments (reasonable means I’m not asking anyone to take a vow of silence, or stop splashing in a tub).  I’m realizing that one of the ways that I can circumvent the draining effects of noise is to consciously turn my focus to the sounds that are soothing rather than the sounds that are draining.  I’ve got to.  Because unless I do, I will spiral into total exhaustion, which doesn’t allow me to be any good to anybody.  Definitely contrary to playing my best leadership game.  And trust me; this lesson holds true for you too.

Bottom-line:  taking a break, giving yourself permission to rest, includes giving yourself permission to turn off or tune out the noise.  I’ve talked about finding answers in silence.  Believe me, silence can also recharge you.  So here’s my challenge to you:  carve out a 15 minute block and allow yourself to be as silent as possible, in as much silence as possible.  Immerse yourself in it.  Feel yourself recharge.  Good stuff comes from silence.

Recognizing the Power of You

Yesterday I wrote about your ability to impact the energy around you.  As a human being, this is one of your super-powers, so to speak.  As a leader, this particular super-power is one which you can harness and use for incredible good.  Along the same lines, there is an incredible power that resides in you, that is felt simply in the way you show up.  I call this the power of being.  Everyone’s got and yet, as a leader, when you’re at your best, your power of being is capable of accomplishing so much, impacting so much, and you don’t have to say a thing.

As a powerful — as in effective, not dictatorial — leader, there’s a way that your message, your vision, your ideas are so well known and articulated, that those around you know what you’re about, what you want, whether you speak or not.  You don’t have to say a word, whether in reprimand, suggestion, or praise for people to understand where you’re at.  Not that you walk around as a mute; but rather that you don’t HAVE to speak; your presence speaks for itself.  This is an extension of the idea that you have the power to impact and shift the energy around you.  You actually have the power to convey your message energetically, silently, simply by virtue of the fact that everything you do, say and stand for is in alignment and congruence.  How cool is that?

Bottom-line:  as an effective leader, your very presence has power.  People around you know what you want and what you’re about without you every speaking a word.  Your carriage, your actions, your wishes — all of these are in alignment.  And so, your message speaks for itself, through your very power of being.

Yep, It Works (Being vs. Doing, that is)

Second post for today — feels necessary given the last rant.  I’ll keep it brief.

I ended my last post by stating that I was choosing to be with my anger rather than try to do anything with it.  Turned out that was the best thing I could’ve done (ironic, I know, given that I wasn’t really “doing” anything).  You see, by choosing to simply be with the anger — feel it, let it bubble up, not ignore it or use it in any way, I was able to move through it fairly quickly.  And once I was through the anger, clarity began to emerge.

What I’ve relearned through this experience today is that ultimately, there needs to be this balance between being and doing, and that many times the balance looks like more being than doing.  Which can be a tricky concept in our “doing-based” society.  What I know for sure is that when I let things be, myself included, the required doing naturally happens.  What actually needs to get done is naturally illuminated.  And then I can settle into that state of ease — the state that I know is my natural one.

Bottom-line:  when it comes right down to it, when you don’t know what to do, just be.  It’ll move you to gold everytime.