We leaders are naturally driven to be goal oriented and as soon as one objective is achieved,  we are on to the next one. However, the downside of being always switched on is that it can prevent us from being really present with others.

This challenge emerged at one of our recent peer-to-peer leadership coaching forums: we concluded that our ability to be always switched on is also our greatest weakness. 

The great benefits of being present

While always yearning for more success is totally natural, it is when we learn to relax, take time out and be present with ourselves and others that we achieve even greater success. There are several aspects to this positive outcome. The first is that we are at our most creative when our minds are relaxed and switched off. Secondly, people around us – our colleagues as well as family and friends – are more motivated when we are totally present with what is going on in their lives, as only then do they sense we value them more than our goals and concerns. 

And then there is the guilt that many of us leaders feel when we’re not busy or find ourselves at a loose end. Guilt, just like constantly striving to achieve, prevents us from being present with others.

The wisdom of my peers

As a facilitator of peer-to-peer leadership coaching forums, I have reflected on my ability to switch off and on how good I am at just enjoying my own company while doing nothing. I realised that while I had improved my ability to be more present with others and quiet the mind, I still have a nagging discomfort when I am not engaged in some activity. So, I was thrilled when this particular group of business leaders was prepared to dive deeper into this topic. I felt sure I could learn from their insights.

The following is the wisdom the group unpacked and shared as we worked through a case study on the importance of switching off:

• Understand that creating a culture of staff engagement reduces workplace stress, improves employee well-being and has a much more positive effect on the bottom line than many business decisions taken by the top leadership team.
• Take a five-minute break every hour, just to let the mind settle.
• Remind yourself more often of what you have achieved rather than what is left to do. Glance at what you have ticked off your to-do list rather than what you still need to do. When you’re thinking about your workload you are less present with yourself and others.
• Move from multi-tasking to completing one task at a time. Put in a deliberate break in which to stop and enjoy having put each challenge to bed.
• Put regular time in your daily/weekly diary to do leadership ‘by walkabout’. This allows you to focus more on relationships. When you prioritise relationships over work outcomes, employees become more motivated. Consequently, fewer tasks are delegated upwards to your desk.
• Accept some level of frustration as part of life but try not to sweat the small stuff. Move your focus to a bigger vision for your life as opposed to just the business or job goals.

The goal is not to do less necessarily, it’s to worry less, or harry less, and to make better connections with your employees and peers; that way they will become more engaged and motivated. Plus, you will reduce stress in the workplace, including your own, and improve employee well-being.

Where would you start, in your efforts to switch off and be more present with those around you?