Lets be honest. All of us are leaders.
We are all busy. We have meetings, presentations, deadlines, speaking commitments, responsibilities and the list goes on and on.
Paying attention in the midst of all this activity is extremely difficult. There are so many distractions.
Great leaders practice paying attention.
They listen with their heart and eyes and not with their brains and ears.
When you are paying attention…
When you are really curious…
When you look for the best…
When you put others first…
When you linger…
When you act interested…
When you are open to others… Then you will find what you are seeking.
How well are you doing in your leading?
Are you truly paying attention?
Our obligation as leaders is to pay attention.
Here is a simple exercise about learning to pay attention:
Pay attention to your breathing.
Play close attention to your intake and out take of breathe.
Pay attention to your listening.
Close your eyes and listen. What do you hear?
Really listen to everything.
Pay attention to your feelings.
Close your eyes. Put your hand on your heart.
What feelings come up for you?
Pay attention to your sense of smell.
Close your eyes become aware of the odors.
What do you smell around you?
Pay attention to your sight.
Open your eyes and notice what comes first in the line of your vision.
See the colors, the lights, the textures…
Slowly turn your head to the right and then to the left, and then look up and down.
Pay attention to everything you see.
Your ability to pay attention to the most common and immediate elements
of your daily life helps you be more attuned to what is going on around you and with others.
Lead From Within: You are the sum of all that you pay attention to.
Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.
Sheri Mackey
15. Mar, 2011
So often we get caught up in the day-to-day storms that we forget we’re leading people – not things. And people like to be listened to and feel they have been “heard”. Keep up the great work! Sheri
Lolly Daskal
15. Mar, 2011
Sheri,
So true! We do get caught up with our daily lives. Stop. Look and Listen. Is a great way to recharge. A great way to learn to pay attention. Thanks for stopping by.