How focused are you? No, really!
Every yoga posture has a drishti, a place where your gaze rests while you are in the posture as a means of focusing your attention. For warrior two, it is just in front of the middle finger of the hand that is out in front of you. Every posture has its own. Try a handstand with your gaze too far back and you are sure to fall. When we are wobbly in a balancing posture like tree or dancer, the practiced yogini-in-training will bring her gaze to the floor then gradually lift it once stable. In every case, where we set our gaze is important to our ability to hold the posture, execute a transition, or improve our form.
This idea applies nicely to business in two ways. First of all, not staying focused on any task can result in failure, or if not abject failure– less than stellar performance. When we are distracted and thinking of something else, we can’t give our best. Look around the room while holding the simplest of yoga postures and you are sure to compromise your form; focus on a personal distraction while attending a meeting and you miss a key point in the discussion. Second, it is important to note that the point of focus varies by task. In yoga we must direct our gaze to a different place for each new posture; in business we must focus on the task at hand. Some jobs require creativity. Others require sequential thinking and clockwork precision. Sometimes relationships are the key aspect of accomplishing a project. It is important to examine the task at hand and focus on the things that are important to each unique situation. Our attention needs to be both task-oriented and supported by situational awareness.
This kind of awareness is not easy to come by. In my research I discovered something I like to call relational introspection. It’s a simultaneous attunement to ourselves, our environments, and those we work with (Boje, 2014; Henderson, 2013, 2014; Wakefield, 2012, 2013). That may sound like the opposite of focus, but nothing could be further from the truth. Practicing relational introspection sharpens our perception as we look at a given situation from multiple perspectives to gain clarity. Clarity helps us to be decisive and focus our energy in constructive ways, allowing us to address the mechanics of our tasks with greater understanding and freeing us from resistance tied to emotional discomfort and conflict. Here are a few questions for reflection that can help us to assess any situation and make the most of our abilities. Why not take them for a test drive?
Relational Introspection Exercise
Pick a situation in your work world where you have trouble focusing on the task at hand. Then, with that task in mind, ask yourself these questions. Take a few moments to reflect on your answers and tackle the task anew. Feel free to contact me and share your reflections (tonya@glysolutions.com). I would love to hear how it went!
Self
Do I know myself well?
What is my intention for this situation?
How do I feel today?
Am I in tune with my emotions?
What am I projecting (voice, body language,
word choice)?
Others
Who are these people around me?
What do they need?
What do they expect of me?
Are they truly present and focused on the task at hand?
What can we accomplish together?
Ecosystem
What’s the context (business, social, family)?
What’s going on around us?
Are things changing or is the situation stable?
Is this a healthy environment? If not, what are my choices?
Copyright Gly Solutions, LLC 2014
References:
Boje, D. M. (2014, 26 August 2014). Restorying Stress and Sustainability. Retrieved 3 September, 2014, from http://www.peaceaware.com/
Henderson, T. L. (2013). Fractals & relational introspection Paper presented at the 3rd Annual Quantum Storytelling Conference, Las Cruces, NM.
Henderson, T. L. (2014). Spotting Patterns in Work and Life: Awareness and Reinvention. Paper presented at the FEBE (For Entrepreneurs By Entrepreneurs) Superwoman Leadership Conference, Colorado Springs, CO.
Wakefield, T. H. (2012). An ontology of storytelling systemicity: Management, fractals and the Waldo Canyon fire. (Doctorate of Management Doctoral dissertation), Colorado Technical University, Colorado Springs, CO.
Wakefield, T. H. (2013). Fractal Management Theory. Paper presented at the Academy of Management, Orlando, FL.
