I switched to doing meetings with leaders as hikes — giving us the space and oxygen to get perspective.
A friend and I have been trying to plan our next one. The last time we did this, we figured out a big-ass issue on the business he had just started to lead. It led to clarity and ultimately a pivot on the business that his Board just loved. As he and I emailed recently, I realize we’ve been trying to schedule this latest hike since November.
We all need perspective.
When we take no time to have perspective, we tend to work harder and harder. As we work harder and harder, we lose sight of what matters as crucial pivotal points in the business. When we cannot see what matters, we lose effectiveness; Sometimes for the business, definitely for ourselves.
When we cannot take care of ourselves, we stop managing the one thing we are solely responsible for managing. If you are neglecting you, you are saying to everyone else, ‘you can neglect me and my needs also’. We then act more like human doings, rather than human beings. As human doings, we are keeping up, and perpetually busy. Rarely in this cycle, are we manifesting our full kick-ass-ness.
And Cariappa (a poet who came to my attention through the HBR community) captures this point:
Helping the HelperLook after yourselfwhileLooking after otherselseothers will have tolook after you.
No one is responsible for my ability to have kick-ass-ness in my biz or my life…other than me. We need to help the helper. And only 1 person can make that choice.
(Darn it!)
I’m a rescue-certified SCUBA diver. Our first rule in any situation is “don’t make another victim.”I use this rule a lot.