Thanks to constant distractions from email, social media, and other technologies, the average human attention span according to a recent study has dwindled to just 8 seconds, not much more than a guppy. In addition, there's increasing pressure to get more done at work and work longer hours—these productivity hindrances can be especially detrimental to engagement and team growth.
We’ve all been there: Soul sucking meetings with little direction, no clear champion, and no decisions. Brainstorming sessions that result in great ideas but no real deliverables. The "quick chat" that turns into hours. As a leader you must change the way meetings are conducted in your organization, knowing full well that they are a necessary component of communications in today’s environment.
When a person or a team sets a goal to do something extraordinary (aka your Bamboo Dream), whether that goal is to go to the moon, win a gold medal, or change an entire industry, critics, killjoys, and naysayers come out of the woodwork saying things such as: You are crazy. That will never work. Why are you wasting your time? What makes you think you are so special?
Being a leader requires emotional energy. There are lots of demands on your time and energy. I was recently leading a seminar with a group of upcoming leaders and I was asked, "How can I stay positive in such a demanding world as a leader with the complexity of all my roles?" I responded that it’s up to you to fill your punch bowl. Every day I think about what activities I will engage in that will fill my punch bowl.
When giant timber bamboo grows it sheds the outer layer. The shedding allows for growth. In order for you to grow into the leader you want to be, you must shed. For leadership growth you need to answer this question: What am I holding on to that might be holding me back from becoming the leader I can be?
