With change being the one true constant in life, combined with the fast-paced rate of change today, the relentless pursuit of solid information that can lead to positive outcomes would seem to be a logical choice. And yet, there is an increasing amount of research that indicates slowing down may be among the best leadership skills you can develop. (Harvard Business Review)

By now, we’re all familiar with the young athlete who is thrust into a critical role on his team, a rookie quarterback for example, as he struggles to match the pace of the professional game – both physically and mentally. Eventually, if he’s lucky enough to become successful, he will say something like, “The game is slowing down for me, allowing me to see and react more efficiently.”

Of course, what has really happened is that he has caught up to the pace of the game; it has not gotten slower. And yet, when he rushed himself in an effort to match the speed of play around him, he was slower than everyone else. Now that he has found the right pace at which to play, now that his mind and body have caught up, slow has become fast for him.

This is also true of the best leaders, whether in sports or business, and is a reflection of a high level of emotional intelligence in leadership.

When things happen “too fast”

For many, the role of leadership is thrust upon them by others who’ve seen them perform well in crisis situations: “She never gets flustered in an emergency”, they will say. Or, “He always stays in control of every situation, no matter how demanding.”

These are leaders who’ve found the pace of the game, for whom slow is fast because, whether by nature or training, they have learned new ways to respond to change, and even to a crisis situation.

When things happen too fast for others, when absolutely everything seems to be “urgent”, these leaders are not overwhelmed by the situation. Somehow, they are able to remain focused and calm, offering solutions instead of contributing to the crisis moment.

They reserve blocks of time that they spend reflecting on their attitudes and behaviors, creating intention for the day, clarifying their vision and goals. This time is non-negotiable for them, as they are aware that the more they repeat the behaviors that are not serving them any longer, the faster these behaviors become an ingrained habitual pattern that is difficult to change.

The best leaders use this self-reflection time for learning – from their experience, and from the experience of others. They have learned that multitasking can be detrimental – and so they have developed laser focus on the most important priorities. Although these priorities can be complex, and require them to step up and grow, they never compromise them or exchange them for the available and easy immediate gratification.

They know that there will always emails in the inbox to respond to, or new meetings to attend. So they discern wisely on where to focus their attention – as they know that attention is a priceless commodity. When they choose to spend time with someone, they are fully present – and they are training their brain to do so since, in an era of constant distraction, such training is precious.

Leadership Skills Development Tips

The best leadership skills that help you respond to change or crises include:

• Focus on outcomes – not the situation. A crisis is often the creation of the people involved, rather than the actual situation. Many people have a tendency to panic when things do not go as expected; when change happens suddenly and unexpectedly. A good leader will focus on the result instead of the panic of the moment. For her or him, HOW they get there is less important than THAT they get there – they know the power of problem solving and train their team to develop a growth mindset.
• People matter – regardless of goals. Having said that, an accomplished leader will never forget that the people who make up the team are also important. So, while their focus may be on the outcome of a crisis situation, the process must include others and a collaborative leader will acknowledge and respect the members of the team who helped them reach their goal. They will create time for that and make it a priority because they know that slowing down to acknowledge and celebrate success is essential.
• Change is opportunity – in spite of potential disruption. Even fast-paced change is an opportunity for growth and positive outcomes; whether you’re running a “two-minute offense” or trying to find a “lost” order for your largest customer. Either way, you have the chance to “score” points that will create a positive outcome for your team and/or company, by overcoming the crisis. Slowing down for creating clarity and focus in such moments results in scoring just before the end of the game. Have you ever seen a game where the outcome changes in the last 2-3 minutes? Have you ever noticed how long these minutes last and how professional teams use every millisecond to win the game?
• Target what’s important – not what’s urgent. Not every “urgent” situation is important, at least in the big picture. While a momentary situation may require immediate action, it may have little or no effect on the long-term goals of the team. While crises come and go, they rarely have major, long-term consequences. Being able to stay focused on the broader view, the operating procedures, overall action plan, and the needs of the team, is one of the best leadership skills to nurture. It is, in fact, the only scenario in which you can keep your emotional health and well being in place – otherwise, you will fall into the trap of being a constant “first responder”.
• Stay in the leadership role – and don’t panic. People are often amazed that, while all around them are in “crisis mode”, a good leader remains calm and cool. He or she will stay focused on solutions and offer alternatives that present opportunities for positive outcomes. Their pace of thinking and acting will seem surprisingly slow to those in panic mode but, what has actually happened is that they have “found the pace of the game” and it has slowed to match their own reactions.

This can only be done through consistent practice: train your brain to choose a different response and picture what is possible in the opportunity of the moment.

Do you find yourself struggling to develop your own set of the best leadership skills? Would you like to find the help you need to improve your performance as a leader? If so, let’s chat. Click here to schedule your FREE Discovery Call.