Leadership Growth Addition by Subtraction?
As we reflect back to 2008 – when the news of Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch broke – we recall the impact of the world financial crisis at work and home. We witnessed layoffs, attempted to make sense of shrunken retirement accounts, and watched our businesses slow. On some level, we were shaken to the core – the crisis dancing all too closely to our fundamental needs as human beings for safety, security, and a sense of belonging. However, in the midst of this greater state of contraction and fear, came the opportunity to find the leadership paradox inherent in any situation. As a coach, this provided an opportunity to help myself and others reframe our view of “contraction or subtraction”. In moving beyond the negative connotations, in what areas of life could “subtraction” actually be additive if we peeled away the excess or the unnecessary extras?
Physical Spaces & Health: There was much written about using the downturn as an opportunity to simplify our lives – finding efficiencies in our offices/homes and doing less with material things. As I’ve worked with leaders through the years on managing time and energy, it’s been amazing to see the immediate relief from overwhelm by cleaning up spaces, streamlining routines, and focusing on the critical path. And just like our physical spaces, we can bring “addition by subtraction” to our bodies and health as well. Reducing caffeine, sugar, and even cutting down our expectations that a workout is at least an hour, we can increase and add to our physical energy. Walking for 20 minutes a day is better than not at all and more often an achievable goal. Small reductions bring real gains.
Relationships & Communication: We might also look to reducing the excess and unnecessary extras in our relationships and communication with others. What would happen if we became less reactive to difficult colleagues or teammates? What if we lessened our attachment to personal or functional agendas and led as an owner of the firm or enterprise wide leader? As we shrink our reactive cycle times spent in anger, guilt, frustration, or judgment, we increase our energy and productivity as well as increase the likelihood of achieving strategic priorities and organizational goals. As we streamline our communications, filter our messages, and ask questions that shape others’ thinking, we see gains in executive presence and our abilities to influence others.
Mental Clarity: Interestingly, as leaders make key subtractions in the first two domains above, they gain an additional positive effect on their mental clarity and state of mind. As physical spaces and bodies clear, relationships strengthen, and communications become more effective, our minds begin to ease as well. Couple this with reducing the ways we distract ourselves from the true tasks or issues at hand – watching TV, surfing the internet, checking email – we gain greater clarity of mind that brings gains in productivity, decision making, and strategic thinking. I’ve even seen some clients finally get a good night’s sleep after learning how to reduce and manage their own mental churning and worry.
Values & Attitudes: Ultimately, the financial crisis gave us an opportunity as leaders to examine the very values and attitudes which led to a state of excess in the first place. Perhaps the downturn in the economy gave us a view into “subtraction by addition” – leadership whereby the fundamental tenants and values of stewardship, accountability, and responsibility were chipped away at for gains in greed, territory, and consumption. What would happen then if we did the reverse and shed layers of ego? What would happen if we refused gains in situations where we’re asked to compromise our relationships, quality, or even worse, our integrity?
Take a look at your own world today. What excess or extras could you subtract and what would emerge? Perhaps, first a very difficult look at holes we’ve actually been trying to fill with the excess – meaning, purpose, and intimacy in our lives. Or perhaps, taking away the unnecessary extras would give you a taste of the essentials and my suspicion is again, you’d find the parts and people that bring meaning, purpose, and intimacy as well.
Reflection:
“When you make some special effort to achieve something, some excessive quality, some extra element is involved in it. You should get rid of excessive things…when you bow, you should just bow; when you sit, you should just sit; when you eat, you should just eat. If you do this, the universal nature is there…”
– Zen Master Shunryu Suzuki
Take a moment to reflect on your growth as a leader – what could you subtract or limit in your life that would bring new energy or time to the key priorities, initiatives, or values in your life?
Reflection Questions:
- Where do I have excess or unnecessary extras in my life?
- What would I gain if I let go of, subtracted, or reduced these?
- What is the one “subtraction” I could make right now in my life that would be most “additive”?
– Amy Jen Su