LeadWorkPlay

I heard once that the definition of “capacity” literally refers to one’s ability to do work.  Dictionary.com defines capacity a bit more broadly, as the actual or potential ability to perform, yield or withstand.  Given the crazy-busy, 24/7 world leaders operate in today, that second definition is worth thinking about.  Is your capacity as a leader–to perform, yield and withstand–growing? Shrinking?  Or sitting at rock-bottom?

If you’re like 95% of the leaders I see, you are probably somewhere between shrinking and rock-bottom.  From my recently published article on mindfulness and leadership in the December 2009 issue of the Neuroleadership Journal: “Across the globe, people today deal with a veritable tsunami of chronic high-stress, increasing complexity, information and communication overload, rapidly evolving technologies, and a hyper-competitive, 24/7 work world.  As a result, leaders are trying to achieve more with less, primarily by defaulting to various forms of multi-tasking and hoping that technology (from their ever-present Blackberries to their Outlook email and calendar) will save them.  These tools will only take leaders so far; what is really required is a fundamental re-thinking of how leaders value and use their capacity.”

Because global business is driven by technology, which is in turn driven by ideas and innovation, there is no more important business resource any of us have today than our own brains.  In fact, most of you reading this blog were hired and advanced in your career because of what you can do with your brains, not what you can with your hands.  (In the heyday of the Industrial Age, that would have been a very different story.)

Yet, there is nothing that most of us take for granted, neglect and abuse more than the care and feeding of our own brain.  Contrary to popular belief, neuroscience is showing us just how delicate brain matter is and how incredibly energy-intensive it is to run.  Literally in terms of brain functioning, no human being can perform at their best 24/7.  It is physiologically impossible. Yet, most of us are trying to do just that – because our jobs, our families and the world today now require us to be on top of our game, every day.

Whether you call it by the name of “work/life balance” or “energy management”, your brain requires that you learn to take some regular time-off-the-clock.  In our work-addicted society, it can be challenging to do that on your own.  Leadership coaching can make the difference between breaking through to a new level of self-care you can sustain …or breaking down because engrained habits keep pulling you back.