Rested Leadership: an invitation to pause
I have been thinking about and reflecting on the idea of rested leadership. This concept came riding into town on the back of a life pause that left me with a yearning to break the cycle of busy, overwhelm and long work hours in work place cultures where giving more and doing more is unconsciously expected and applauded. I am not even sure that rested leadership is possible in a world of hierarchies, nor even in places of high collaboration. Is it unrealistic to expect this to be possible? Probably, and I am practicing regardless.
There is an old English proverb that says ‘a change is as good as a rest’ or you may be more familiar with the contemporary version ‘a change is as good a holiday’? Personally I like the HG Wells interpretation “there is no rest like a change of occupation” (although I can find no reference to this from when I scribbled it down some time ago). Anyhow, I am sure you get the point, rest can come from change. I am not suggesting we all rush to change our occupations, however, changing the way we do our occupation has merit as a pathway to embody restful leadership in workplaces.
Although I am only at the start of my rested leadership journey, something that has distilled for me is the practice of the pause. My reactive nature combined with a desire to people please has led me to rapid fire responses that might have best been kept in the vault, along side working excessively hard, efficiently and fast. A friend sent me an article last week that essentially suggested this lifestyle choice could be the cause of a new kind of brain damage. I am a leader in hierarchy and I no longer want to lead in ways that cause all of us to acquire a brain injury.
Practicing the pause in the micro and macro moments has been an important aspect of uncovering rested leadership.
Pause before I answer a call, am I ready for what might come?
Pause before I send an email, does this need my reaction now or my response later?
Pause before I speak, have I listened first?
Pause before I judge, am I making assumptions rather than being curious?
Pause before big hard decisions…for months if necessary.
Pause before conversations, regardless of who initiates them (me or others).
Pause before I invite others to pause.
Pause to get more data.
Pause to steady my heart.
Pause to find grace.
Pause to lead with truth and kindness.
Pause to build relationships and connections.
Pause to play with my colleagues.
Pause to acknowledge and celebrate the unique contributions people make.
Pause from online work platforms in an act of self-discipline outside of work.
Pause the dings, bings and bells.
Pause to take a day in bed.
Pause to take a day by the sea.
Pause to write.
Pause to create.
Pause to look up, who knows what you might see?
Pause to appreciate a flower in the concrete or a wayward feather.
Pause to smell that coffee or food before consuming.
Pause from my phone.
Pause and share the pause with others.
Pause to encourage others to pause.
Rested or restful leadership has mostly become an invitation to pause…..pause in between moments…pause in between days…pause in the morning…pause for periods of time.
I call in more of this kind of spaciousness in my leadership and my life.
