In one of my recent sessions of “The Practice of Leading Joyfully”, my signature Leadership Evolution Program, we were discussing the importance of the Morning Ritual to ground yourself and prepare for the day. The CEO shared that every morning he prays for each member of his team. And he emphasized that he does this for every member, every single day.
This module focuses on the idea that becoming the leader you want to be requires daily practice. This actually starts before you turn up to work by designing and doing a powerful Morning Ritual that prepares your mind, body and spirit.
In my first book, “Free and Laughing: Spiritual Insights in Everyday Moments”, I wrote in the chapter entitled Plies:
“Every ballet class throughout the world, be it at the New York City Ballet, the Kirov in Russia, or my daughter’s ballet class in Jamaica, starts with plies. A plie is the movement of bending the knees while keeping the back straight. Every class starts with the basics. Every ballerina knows that to master ballet you must master plies. And that the work of mastering the plie never ends.”
What’s the equivalent of the plie to the leader? I believe that it’s the basic act of priming your mind to lead. You do this by bringing conscious awareness to your team members, acknowledging and preparing to lead them before you even see or interact with them. Here are 5 simple practices that you can include in your Morning Ritual:
- Create your day. Stephen R. Covey, author of “7 Habits Highly Effective People” said:
“All things are created twice. There’s a mental or first creation, and a physical or second creation to all things.” Create your ideal day through visualisation. It’s as simple as sitting with your eyes closed and imagining your best day today, taking note of the commitments you have made, and just seeing them playing out with ease, grace and joy. Need help? Check out my “Create Your Ideal Day” meditation here. - Express deep gratitude and wellbeing for each member of your team by name. My client does it through prayer. You could also do this in a gratitude journal, or quietly saying: “Thank you (NAME). I wish you the very best today”
- Set your leadership intention for the day. What do you want to accomplish? Is there someone to whom you want to express deep appreciation? Is there a festering issue that you need to address with a team member?
- Anchor your intention by affirming that THIS is the day to be the leader you want to be. Create (or Google) two or three affirmations that inspire you. Declare them out loud with conviction and passion. Feel the energy of the words.
- Prepare to be open to the possibilities throughout the day. Put forth a powerful question. One of my favourites is: “How can I best serve my team today”? Don’t answer it immediately – just be open to what transpires.
A very important aspect of this morning priming is to do it before you check your technology -texts, e-mail, social media, the news – can all wait a few minutes until you are ready.
Being a highly effective leader doesn’t happen by chance – it happens with intention and deliberate preparation every single day. These practices don’t have to take a lot of time. What’s important is that you are fully present with no distractions. It’s just you, sitting with this amazing leader – you!
SIMILAR BLOGS BY MARGUERITE:
How to stay grounded in turbulent times
Life Will Continue Apace ….the Case For Not Checking Your Phone As You Awaken
The 1 Daily Habit that will Make You a More Effective Leader
