Slowing down can be a hidden superpower for leading others toward creating something better. This is a common theme as we coach senior leaders through our Evolve Your Leadership Voice program. These leaders realize that slowing down can be simple to remember, a single action encompassing many shifts, and be transformative in elevating their leadership, influence, and impact.
Slowing Down Is Counter Cultural
The dominant culture has made us think that great leaders are fast, know all the answers, and are always right. However, other cultures value slowing down, thoughtfulness, consideration, and centering empathy and connection over being right. Slowing down can help us all be better leaders and challenge dominant paradigms.
Power of Slowing Down
In the moment, we can feel pressure to have an answer or opinion or make a quick decision to seem intelligent, competent, and exceptional; however, quick reactions when we are taken aback, frustrated, or hurt often lead to mistakes, misunderstandings, and harm. Slowing down can give us the space and time to:
- shift from reaction to choosing a response.
- In The Book of Joy, the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu share that a sacred pause and the widest perspective help us solve problems with creativity and compassion rather than rigidity and reactivity.
- think.
- We might an ideate, imagine possibilities, decide, consider alternate perspectives, contemplate consequences, and more.
- connect.
- We have time to listen, ask a question, empathize, and be curious.
- notice and bypass our inner critic.
- Learning to notice and bypass this voice within us is one of the most transformative tools Evolve participants take away from the program. What would it be like to learn to handle that voice so it stops handling you? At first, noticing and bypassing can be arduous and time-consuming, but it can become almost second nature through practice and neuroplasticity.
- connect with the best of ourselves.
- We might connect with our core values, life purpose, or other inner resources.
Practices for Slowing Down
There are an infinite number of ways to slow down. This might be a moment’s pause, responding later that day when we are no longer distracted or reactive, or scheduling the complicated conversation for later that week. Some strategies might include:
- Take a breathe. Or box breathing. Or 5-7-8 breathing.
- Count to ten.
- Say, “hmmm…interesting” and wait for someone to fill the silence, share more, or offer context.
- Don’t respond to the text until after the meeting.
- Don’t respond to the email until tomorrow.
- Sleep on it.
- Schedule a time to have the conversation when you (and/or the other person) might be in a better place.
Learn More About Evolve
Evolve is for senior leaders from higher education, government, non-profit, and corporate sectors. So, if you know of senior leaders who are deeply knowledeable and committed to equity and are eager to release fear, gain courage, and take transformative action – let’s connect! On the Evolve site you can learn more or schedule a free 15-minute 1:1 conversation about Evolve with Brian, Dawn, or Keith.
