Third Quarter 2012- Issue 9
At the End of the Day: “Reflecting- The Key to A Leader Staying in Balance”
Today, the 24/7 of never-ending stimulation, and the ruthless pounding of information into our brains, leaves us with barely any time to step outside the line of fire and reflect. I am sure you have heard the phrase, “sometimes you have to stop and smell the roses.” More often than not, that saying is repeated after someone has hit a “brick wall,” in one form or another. But when was the last time you actually stopped to smell the roses and appreciate the beauty of the rose? Allowing ourselves time to pause and reflect on our priorities is a crucial step in our quest for leading a balanced life. I have learned that true success in the workplace will parallel success outside the workplace.
As the leader, the one thing you must do is spend quality time reflecting, focusing, and making adjustments on important things like:
- Your health–How well do you take care of yourself?
- Your spouse and other family members–Where on the “totem pole” do they sit?
- Your friends–How many close friends do you have that are not in your workplace?
- Your spirituality–Are you at peace with your higher power?
- Your work–Are you being fulfilled with your job? Are you performing to your fullest potential in every aspect of your job?
- Your happiness–Are you happy?
What blind spots have you developed?
With the downpour of information coming at us from every which way, the development of blind spots becomes quite common. These are areas in our life that are either right under our noses or within our full control, yet we do not take the time to “look.” Most often, it is the workplace that creates the blind spots in a leader’s life. One can become so tactical, even myopic, that blindness appears. It can cause them to miss the strategic big picture, the creative input of their colleagues, as well as simple improvements to doing ordinary things. I would say that at this point, the leader has become unbalanced.
A good way to determine if you are balanced is to take time out of the day to examine and reflect on the priorities in your life. It is important to bring in people who can help you reset, or make behavioral changes, which will lead to more balance. You will find that as a leader you lead yourself and others much more effectively. It is amazing, how being in balance, you will find yourself appreciating the “beauty of the rose.”
–Mario Flores
Mario Flores. All rights reserved. No part of these materials may be reproduced in any form without written permission.
