Bob Feldman Paradoxes for Productivity.........
As you gallop on your Horse into 2014 you will feel the exhilaration of the wind against your face and the freedom of
movement. But be sure to ask yourself: Where am I going? And why so fast?
Let me share with you three paradoxical ideas which may help you pause and bring focus and clarity to your goals
and direction:
- Go fast but don’t hurry
You’ve seen it in the best athletes. You’ve seen it in experienced professionals. Years of practice in your field creates
an elegance, an efficiency of movement and action, a quickness that is simply right and rightly simple. What may take
hours for a novice to complete can be done in seconds by a trained professional. There is beauty in the movement.
Some authors call it being “in the zone” or having “flow". A good speaker has it with a seemingly effortless
presentation that looks so natural that others may say it is just his or her talent. But we know better: it is practice,
persistence and trust.
Educator Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais used the phrase when helping a disabled young girl walk with crutches. We want to
get somewhere fast, but hurry creates panic, clumsiness and loss of control.
The hurry comes from stress. In a study of overworked U.S. employees, 20% said they made careless mistakes on the
job, whereas of those who felt they were not overloaded, less than 1% said they made careless mistakes. If we can
reduce our stress we will perform more effectively and focussed, which leads me to the second paradoxical
suggestion:
- Slow down to speed up
Time has its way of moving too fast for us. We run out of time, waste time and keep losing time. We try to pack in too
much during the workday and end up feeling exhausted rather than uplifted, frustrated rather than energised,
resigned rather than motivated. Can this change?
Think about how it feels when you are really immersed in something: a fascinating novel, a challenge at work, your
passionate hobby, or even watching children at play. What happens? You look at your watch and are shocked how
much time has passed. When you are deeply involved in what highly interests you, your internal clock slows down.
So to slow down time at work you want to create the space to reflect, think and plan. This allows you to delve into and
explore what really interests you in your job so you can then deliver and express what can really make a difference.
When you take time to plan, the execution of your plans will be quicker.
I suggest you make appointments with yourself, write the times and dates in your calendar, and then show up! You
can meet with yourself in your office, a meeting room, or at the nearby coffee shop or hotel lobby, a place where you
can be alone without interruptions. You will be able to turn grindfulness into mindfulness and be a more effective
leader in the process. You can also:
- Close your eyes to see more clearly
Visualisation is a simple and powerful tool to imagine your next steps, your goals,
your visions. Breathe slowly, close your eyes, picture yourself in action and let
the future emerge before you. This will prepare you for the challenges ahead.
Bob Feldman is a corporate trainer, executive coach, professional speaker and actor from
Chicago who lives and works in Singapore. He helps you deepen your process of exploration
for inner purpose, passion and peace, and for outward expression, energy and engagement.
Website: http://www.bobfeldman.net | Email: [email protected]