May 9, 2020 by dev_team
The 4C’s of Conscious Leadership
Four questions that drive innovative, practical action through and beyond COVID-19
Guest post by Julie Jackle, Principal @ Growth Axis
As I speak with dozens of CEO’s and their teams while navigating my own leadership of a business and household with small children being homeschooled, I am humbly reminded that there is nothing more powerful than a crisis to shine a flashlight on what matters or what we have ignored for too long.
The dangerous pattern I see is that leaders are choosing to invest more narrowly in self-preservation mode despite their strengths — and ignoring their areas of “weakness” or blind spots.
As a leader, what you do and don’t do will multiply. Particularly in times of crisis, all eyes are on you to teach others how to respond consciously vs. react. A crisis offers a powerful invitation to balance your strengths (or stop overdoing your strengths) and intentionally choose better.
This 4C’s model of top competencies for effective leadership offers a practical four-step method to serve your organization’s health and bottom-line impact: Calm, Clarify, Connect, Create.
Check yourself now with the following to see where you and your teams have work to do.
Question to Check Yourself | Question to Check Yourself | Choose Yes/No? | |
CALM | Am I feeling present and grounded? | Do I provide a calming presence for others? | Click for CALM practices |
CLARIFY | Do we have a rallying cry? | Are we focused on what truly matters? | Click for CLARIFY practices |
CONNECT | Am I being open and authentic? | Are we adapting our working norms to connect and align? | Click for CONNECT practices |
CREATE | Do I have dedicated creative time? | Are we challenging the status quo? | Click for CREATE practices |
Get started with your team today!
In the pages that follow, I’m excited to explain these concepts in more detail, why each matters in leadership and share practical advice for your thoughtful consideration.
1. Calm
“When the crowded refugee boats met with storms or pirates, if everyone panicked, all would be lost. But, if even one person stayed calm, it was enough.”
– Thich Nhat Hanh, Global Zen Master and Peace Activist
Why It Matters:
Coronavirus brought us into an unprecedented global pandemic with no playbook. This has sent many into an emotional “fight or flight” – that is, preparing for battle with a virus we cannot see while simultaneously navigating numerous day-to-day uncertainties. Having tools to calm and emotionally regulate ourselves have never mattered more. It is only when we are calm (or quickly able to recover) that we can broaden our focus from a narrow survival and self-preservation mode in order to wisely adapt to an environment that has fundamentally changed.
Equally important is how leaders must recognize that their teams want to know if they can feel safe and calm. It is imperative that leaders do their personal work to calm themselves and role model verbal and nonverbal behaviors for others; remember, communication is only 7% what you say whereas the rest is how you behave.
Suggested Practices:
- One-minute breath for calming yourself “inside out”: Take three rounds of 4-7-8 count breaths: Inhale 4 counts, hold your inhale 7 counts and then exhale 8 counts. This cadence has a unique ability to slow, calm and ground — and serves as a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system. Neuroscience shows that when our “fight flight freeze” instinct is triggered, just 60-90 seconds of breath can help our clear, rational mind to kick back in. That’s because stress causes the amygdala to hijack the prefrontal cortex and in this process, there’s about a 60 second delay when nothing gets to the prefrontal cortex. Yet if we take that time to breathe, we’re less capable of doing stupid things by allowing our conscious brain to catch up!
- Recruit a thought partner: Someone who you can share your own uncertainties and emotions with confidence. One of the hardest parts of being a CEO or top executive is feeling the need to have it all figured out. Consider recruiting someone who can support and serve as an objective thought partner. Additionally, this partner can help in times of anxiety that often leads to what’s called, “leadership regression.” It occurs when we move from our wise leadership to self-preservationist instincts. People we trust who don’t possess any secondary agenda of their own can catch us early when it’s needed and coax us back to our high integrity, generous self. Bottom line, your thought partner acts as an invaluable safety net.
- Practice gratitude: Consider a Friday team call to celebrate “small wins” this week, for example, to share thanks and foster positivity around you. Doing this in a team environment where people are acknowledged and own their progress provides powerful fuel to stay engaged — and even incentivized to celebrate more next week! When we’re grateful for our effort, it seems easier to keep going!
Calm Quick Self-Assessment
Check Yourself: Am I feeling present and grounded?
Check Your Impact: Do I provide a calming presence for others?