Silence is a spiritual practice of most religions. It is exhorted as a place to go, a state of being where one taps into inner wisdom. Those who regularly practice silence can attest to how calming and life-affirming it is.
As I countdown to the departure of my flight to Budapest for my vacation, I have found myself floundering. Trying to manage the stress and angst of things to do before I leave, I am realising that I won’t get all of them done.
As leaders grapple with our increasingly complex and uncertain world littered with rapid and unforeseen changes in technology, climate, global economics, demographic movements and political systems, the urgency of improving their strategic thinking skills looms large.
I was facilitating a Leadership Development workshop. Simone turned on her video and apologised for her low energy. She was feeling the impact of the heat, working from home, with no air conditioning.
I have been pondering the necessity to buy another bookcase to house my ever-expanding book collection. Typically, these were acquired on a whim, made super easy by Amazon’s click and buy function and next day delivery.
A few weeks ago, I completed my first assignment as a Flight Angel when I answered the call by the Montego Bay Animal Haven (MBAH) to take a puppy on my flight from Kingston to Toronto. This sweet pup, Nesta (formerly Ella, but now Nesta in honour of the beloved Robert “Bob” Nesta Marley) had her “furever” home awaiting her in Vancouver.
My friend Chris is a wayfinder. Every time I go through the Union Station in downtown Toronto, I think of him and wish the powers that be had hired him to help people literally find their way in this newly (and it seems never ending) redesigned transit hub.
I had the extreme delight of being led by these wonderful guides on various adventures over the last 7 years. Each are from different countries and cultures and led vastly different experiences with different groups of people. They work with G-Adventures, my go-to company for adventure travel.
One of the very first questions I ask a new coaching client is when last they took a real vacation. I am an unapologetic vacationphile, so I’m always amazed at how many leaders don’t take real vacations i.e., vacations with purpose and intention, unplugged and disconnected from work. I have coached many a client in this, and they are amazed when they can actually do it. But it takes quite a bit of planning and preparation.
“How are you”? I asked two C-suite executives I reconnected with at a conference recently.
“Stressed” they chimed in unison.
“Busy” one quickly asserted.
“Busy is an understatement” the other added, just to make sure I got it.
“Well it doesn’t have to be that way you know …”
I was about to launch into the benefits of mindfulness meditation in managing stress, but paused when I noticed the looks on their faces.
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