Leadership is a summoning
I’ve had enough conversations to hear a pattern: restlessness is irksome. That feeling of being unsettled, somewhat dissatisfied, is not the most joyous of occasions. The fabulous Dr Jason Fox, our keynote speaker at the Edge of Leadership wrote a brilliant post about it here called ‘What the funk’ Jason maintains it’s constructive discontent that is the precursor to creative breakthroughs.
Restlessness is also a nudge from the Universe (call it what you will - subconscious, soul, Higher Self, God, intuition).
It’s a little niggle that says, ‘Yo - whassup? Seems to me something needs a bit of a shake, a bit of a stir.’
That restlessness is a prompt. A prod. A reminder that you are destined for more. For something better. For something truly fulfilling.
Are you heeding it?
That restlessness is calling you to your leadership edge. The edge where you get to decide who you are at your best, how you show up in service to a greater purpose, and the courage to act and realise the difference you were born to make.
Shake up your leadership routine
Leadership is a summoning.
It is the beacon for the best version of ourselves. Leadership is the mantle we shoulder for own greater self, and for the greater good of others.
These are lofty words and powerful sentiment. The reality looks far more prosaic: a restlessness, a yearning, a pondering of something not quite right. If we follow that discomfort, we end up somewhere remarkable.
Here’s how to honour the restlessness:
Shake up your morning routine - drink tea instead of coffee. Exercise in the afternoon instead of the evening. Read something different. Skip the morning news and go for a walk. Say hello in the elevator. Sleep in. Go to a Meet Up. Join a book club. Visit a new city. Hang out with folks in a different industry. Sit and do nothing - mobile phone down, iPad off. Just you and the bugs and the trees and the breeze.
The best way to honour the restlessness is to immerse yourself in an experience with others. Be brave, meet new people. Be open, learn new things. Be daring, embrace a new direction.
You’ve been summoned.
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About the author, Canberra leadership expert Zoë Routh:
Canberra based leadership expert Zoe Routh discuss how to shake up your leadership routine
Zoë Routh is one of Australia’s leading experts on people stuff - the stuff that gets in our way of producing results, and the stuff that lights us up. She works with the growers, makers, builders to make people stuff fun and practical.
Zoë is the author of four books: Composure - How centered leaders make the biggest impact, Moments - Leadership when it matters most, Loyalty - Stop unwanted staff turnover, boost engagement, and build lifelong advocates, and People Stuff - Beyond Personalities: An advanced handbook for leadership. People Stuff was awarded Book of the Year 2020 by the Smart WFM Australian Business Book Awards.
Zoë is also the producer of The Zoë Routh Leadership Podcast.