LEADERSHIP DISTRACTIONS – LOUISE THOMSON

Your inability to practise leadership is a consequence of the many distractions in your 24-hour day.

Yes, the world is spinning at a pace which feels so fast (yet, it’s not); being accessible to communication via mind blowing technology which entertains your brain is impeding your opportunity to practise leadership.

Your concentration is suffering and consequently your people don’t feel satisfied which appears to be a surprise when you read the commentary and data in your anonymous employee survey.

The most common phrase I’m hearing is, “I feel overwhelmed.” And you need to answer this question:

Am I responsible?

Distractions waste everyone’s time. It’s paralyzing your ability to role-model, listen, lead, provide feedback, set direction, hear and, create the vibe you want in your workplace (and at home.)

And the thing is, you know how to fix this … yet you’re too distracted to fix it.

Peoples’ self-worth will continue to diminish if you don’t take control and help them feel worthy by giving them the attention which they deserve and you’re responsible to give.

Here’s a list of distractions:

DEVICES – laptops, phones, tablets & smart watches which all take precedence

INBOX – whittling down emails from your staff (who are in your building/office/floor)

STORIES – which are in your head or ruminating in the office which are unverified and left to fester

TIMEFRAMES – outputs take precedence over the impact on people; skills & resilience are neglected

RELATIONSHIPS – built via our devices

ACCOUNTABILITY – is influenced by what you do, not by what you say you’ll do

COMMUNICATION – flexibility is rigid, your style doesn’t match how the receiver responds best

TELEPHONE – you hold it dearly, respecting it more than the people around you

INTERRUPTIONS – you signal that it’s OK to interrupt you, consistently breaking your concentration

OVERWHELMED – your internal radar identifies opportunities to deal with, disabling your ability to focus

NOISE – you tune into the sounds of your devices more than tuning into what’s been said and not said

SLEEP – your hygiene practises e.g. devices next to your bed, waiting for a response to your midnight email  

What are the distractions to your leadership?