In agriculture, there is a work ethic and sense of urgency that can be both a blessing and a curse. Because of the pressures of weather and markets and the importance of timing, we can get caught up in the tyranny of the urgent.
At a time like post-harvest, consider a powerful leadership tool that can transform any knowledge worker’s effectiveness and focus: leadership meditations. Ultimately, this tool can help you to “get more done” in those times of urgency.
Nearly every great leader will refer to leadership meditations using different terms. The point is to organize your thoughts, value systems and imagination. The practice readies the most valuable asset on the farm or in any business for your highest of responsibilities. Those are problem-solving, decision-making, innovation and planning.
IBM’s founder Tom Watson posted the infamous THINK signs that hang throughout IBM to this day. Google was credited with its hypergrowth phase due to its policy of dedicating 20% of employees’ time to thinking and working on innovation and new ideas. Odds are, if you think about your best breakthroughs, then many of them may have come in the shower; on a walk; or while leaning back midafternoon with a java, tea or soda—or even after 5 p.m. with a beer—in hand.
I’m not a Buddhist, but I once read of Gautama’s “five meditations” in a book by James Allen, the author of the classic As A Man Thinketh. Allen and the five meditations inspired me to write five similar questions that would be more akin to what Watson of IBM posited to his team and what Peter Drucker suggested leaders think upon in order to innovate in high-impact areas.
The practice is simple. Grab your drink of choice. Sit down, relax, read the questions, and just think for three to five minutes about ideas relating to each question. Your mind will wander, but bring it back to the point, take a sip, think some more, and keep coming back to the answers that come to your mind as you ponder the questions.
Only after you’ve invested that three to five minutes, consider writing down your best ideas and thoughts. Odds are you will stumble on some gold in a matter of days, not weeks, and results in months, not years.
Now, stop working, and start thinking!
Five Leadership Meditations
- What is the best I can imagine in regard to the most benefit, value and joy our organization could bring to customers through our service and offerings?
- What are all of the greatest problems, pains and issues our customers and market experience—pains we might help to eliminate or ameliorate?
- What is the ideal workplace our business could provide? If all the stars aligned and we innovated in ways we have yet to imagine, then what is the best our work environment and culture could become?
- What are the ways in which I and other leaders don’t walk out our best or don’t live up to the aspirational values we hold?
- If I had great answers to the above questions and knew we could not fail, then what would be my vision for my course of action and the future of the organization?
Mark Faust works with owners, CEOs and sales managers who want to grow their businesses. You can schedule a free growth ideas session with Mark. Simply book your time by visiting
https://calendly.com/markfaust
