Imagine you are sitting beside a waterhole in Central Australia, outside Alice Springs. You are with a group of fellow leaders who have been away from ‘civilisation’ as you know it, for two days.
There is absolutely no mobile or internet reception. No interruptions. Instead you are relaxed on the red earth under a huge gum tree, in absolute stillness and silence. The sun is high in the sky and there isn’t a breath of wind. It is warm and comfortable in your shady position.
For you this is a world away from your normal environment. Like the others, your typical work day is characterised by noise and movement, by constant interruptions from staff, your mobile phone and the endless email queue.
For a moment you allow your mind to drift back to that other world. The endless space around you allows you to see it from a safe distance, a different perspective.
What do you see? What do you feel?
For many of the leaders who join Frank Ansell, my indigenous colleague, and I on one of our leadership experiences, it is a moment like this that brings new clarity.
For some it is the realisation that their organisation is not what it once was. That the mood in the organisation has shifted over time, from high enthusiasm to low energy – even, perhaps, verging on toxic. Automatic below-the-line reactions to even minor situations have become the norm throughout the office.
Somehow the positive power and energy the organisation once had has gradually been dissolving. Frustration has grown, staff are leaving and the great results they had once regularly achieved were now eluding them. All of which has led to ever-increasing levels of scatteredness and distraction in the leader and his or her team … which only makes matters worse.
The thing about real power for a leader is that it relies very little on position or status and much more on connection to mindful awareness of self and of those they are leading. What is most important is inner power. This is a resonance that creates a positive atmosphere within in the workplace.
When a leader has inner power, creativity, compassion and courage are working together at their best and are palpable to those in the presence of the leader.
How is this achieved? A leader is most powerful when they are present to what is happening in the moment. They are really grounded ‘with’ any person they are talking to. In these moments there is a natural compassion and sense of being connected to what’s happening now, as opposed to their mind being focused on something else. This, in turn comes from achieving a balance between the head, heart and body centres. But it can’t happen when the mind is overly busy, distracted and scattered.
When a leader loses touch with themselves, their values and their intent, they no longer have the capacity to conscious decisions. They lose the ability to operate above the line and in doing so create distance between themselves and those working for them.
In other words, they lose their power.
But one thing I have learnt after a decade of experience in remote Australia, learning to understand the power of the desert land to weave its vast magic, is that all is not lost. Power can return to a leader, even when that feels improbable. With space and time and learning, leaders can re-centre themselves and restore their power. They can return to work with a newfound ability to stay above the line.
In being able to witness what is happening within yourself, you can rediscover the ability to give fuller attention to others – to be more present. You can find more space to think, to care for yourself, to reflect, and to be mindful – even in your normal chaotic environment. You can learn to slow down and really ‘be’ with the people you are leading.
You can get your power back.
Sue Gregory
Sue Gregory is celebrated for her ability to support people to rediscover their spirit and uncover their power. As a Global Leadership Fellow and director of Healthy Outlook, she coaches individuals and organisations to transform, helping them to achieve peak performance, focus and harmony, with clearly demonstrable and long-lasting results. Sue will host the next Spirit of Leadership experience in April this year with Frank Ansell, indigenous traditional healer.
Sue’s article was packed full of thought provoking, practical wisdom. As someone who attended Sue & Frank’s Spirit of Leadership experience in Central Australia last May, I recommend attendance extremely highly.
Regards,
Mark Waller