Patti Cotton

Executive Coach & Career Strategist

productivity

Business Leaders – Got Flow?

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Business Leaders – Got Flow?
Image Credit: Depositphotos

Have you ever been so immersed in an activity that time seemed to fly by?

That’s what psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls “flow”—a state of complete immersion characterized by intense focus and enjoyment. In a flow state, your skills are perfectly matched to the challenge at hand, leading to effortless involvement and deep concentration.

Why Does Flow Matter for You as a Business Leader?

Flow is not just a psychological concept; it’s a game-changer for business leaders. When leaders experience flow, their productivity and creativity skyrocket. They work at their optimal level, managing stress and avoiding burnout by finding intrinsic satisfaction in their tasks.

Flow Activities for Leaders

You don’t need an exotic vacation to attain flow. Here are some activities that might surprise you:

  • Professional Activities: Strategic planning sessions, problem-solving workshops, innovation brainstorming meetings, and in-depth project work can all trigger flow.
  • Personal Activities: Painting, writing, playing a musical instrument, gardening, or sports provide a mental break and stimulate creativity, contributing to a balanced life.

How to Achieve Flow

Set Clear Goals

Flow begins with clarity. Set clearly defined, achievable goals to enter a flow state. Break larger tasks into smaller, manageable steps to maintain focus and motivation. For example, developing a new strategic plan can start with researching market trends, brainstorming with key team members, and then drafting the plan.

Balance Challenge and Skill

The sweet spot for flow lies in balancing your skills with the right level of challenge. Tasks that are too easy lead to boredom, while overly difficult tasks cause anxiety. Gradually increase the complexity of tasks as your skills improve. For instance, seasoned leaders might challenge themselves with new market expansion strategies, while newer leaders focus on improving team communication skills.

Eliminate Distractions

Create an environment conducive to focus, free from interruptions. Use time-blocking for deep work, focus apps to minimize digital distractions, and designate a quiet workspace. Communicate with your team about the importance of uninterrupted time for key tasks. If you experience consistent interruptions, note any trends and devise a plan to redirect these.

For example, one of my clients felt he could not block off two hours without interruption. We learned that many of these were instances where things could wait, and he taught his executive assistant to triage these and schedule or redirect them to someone else.

Outcome?

More than 90% of his interruptions disappeared.

Foster Intrinsic Motivation

Engage in activities that are inherently rewarding and align tasks with your personal values and interests. Intrinsic motivation sustains focus and enjoyment, making it easier to enter a flow state. Reflect on what aspects of your work you find most fulfilling and seek to incorporate more of those elements into your daily routine.

Benefits of Flow for Business Leaders

Enhanced Productivity

Flow leads to significant increases in efficiency and output. Leaders in flow complete complex tasks more quickly and effectively. For example, a CEO in flow might streamline operations or develop innovative solutions that boost organizational efficiency.

Improved Creativity

Flow fosters a mindset conducive to creative thinking and problem-solving. Leaders are more likely to generate novel ideas and innovative solutions. Consider a healthcare executive who experiences flow during strategic retreats, developing breakthrough strategies that position their facility as a leader in patient care.

Greater Job Satisfaction

Regularly experiencing flow leads to higher job satisfaction and fulfillment. Engaging in deeply rewarding activities contributes to a sense of purpose and achievement. Leaders who cultivate flow in their professional and personal lives often report greater overall happiness and career satisfaction.

Better Stress Management

Flow helps reduce stress and promotes mental well-being by providing a sense of accomplishment and intrinsic satisfaction. Leaders can use flow as a tool for relaxation and mental rejuvenation by engaging in hobbies or exercise that induce flow.

Enhanced Decision-Making

Flow improves cognitive functions essential for making sound decisions. Leaders in flow process information more efficiently and make more informed choices. For instance, a business leader might develop a comprehensive and effective response to a market shift while in a flow state.

Increased Resilience and Adaptability

Regular engagement in flow activities builds resilience and adaptability, helping leaders handle challenges and crises more effectively. Flow activities encourage a growth mindset, enabling leaders to view challenges as opportunities for development.

Stronger Team Dynamics

Encouraging team members to find and engage in their own flow activities can lead to improved collaboration and team performance. Creating a work environment that values deep work and focused engagement can boost overall productivity and morale.

Elevated Leadership Presence

Leaders who regularly experience flow are more inspiring and motivational to others. Their ability to focus and achieve results sets a positive example for their teams. A CEO who prioritizes flow activities may develop a reputation for being calm, focused, and highly effective, attracting top talent and fostering a strong organizational culture.

Practical Steps for Integrating Flow into Leadership

Incorporate Flow into Daily Routines

Schedule specific times for flow activities into your daily routine, balancing professional responsibilities with personal interests. For example, set aside an hour each morning for strategic planning or a favorite hobby before diving into daily meetings.

Assess Training and Development Programs

Implement workshops and training sessions on achieving flow for leaders and teams. Encourage ongoing learning and skill development to facilitate flow. Organizations can offer training on time management, mindfulness, and goal setting to help leaders and employees enter flow more easily.

Create a Supportive Environment

Design workplaces that support deep work and minimize distractions. Encourage practices that promote focus, such as quiet hours and designated deep workspaces. Foster a culture that values focus, creativity, and well-being by recognizing and rewarding employees who demonstrate flow and high engagement.

The Importance of Flow for Leaders

In summary, flow enhances productivity, creativity, job satisfaction, and stress management while positively impacting leadership abilities. Leaders who regularly engage in flow activities are more effective, resilient, and satisfied – a pretty powerful business case.

The Call to Action

Here’s your personal challenge: Embrace the transformative power of flow for leadership and personal fulfillment! Start small and gradually integrate flow activities into your life. Experiment with different activities and strategies to find what works best for you. And drop me a line to let me know how it’s working for you.

Reference

  • Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Harper & Row.

© Patti Cotton and patticotton.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that attribution is made to Patti Cotton and patticotton.com, with links thereto.

Redefining Success: Aligning Your Leadership Role with Personal Fulfillment

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Redefining Success: Aligning Your Leadership Role with Personal Fulfillment
Image Credit: Depositphotos

It’s been a rough four years. No matter where you stand with the events of today’s world, we have experienced unprecedented challenges.

And it has taken its toll.

More business leaders are leaving their roles than at any other time in our lifetime (McKinsey, Forbes). And that echoes the sentiment I am hearing from so many of you. It’s no longer enough for you to weather the proverbial storms in order to reach organizational goals. It’s not enough to persevere in hiring and retaining the right talent to do the job. It’s not enough to feel as though you averted another crisis, completed another long day, and made it through yet another challenge.

On a scale of 1-5, how fulfilled are you as a leader? In your work? Your life?

Perhaps it is time to redefine success.

In the past, success has often been defined by career achievements. But over the last four years, as we have faced unmatched crises and a new and seemingly foreign business landscape, this definition has fallen short. Business leaders are asking for more…not more money, not more opportunities, but for more personal fulfillment. They seek more ease in leading – and more of a personal reward for filling those big shoes.

The fact is, personal fulfillment doesn’t come from occasional exotic trips or long weekends to regroup and re-energize. True fulfillment encompasses both professional and personal aspects of life.

It doesn’t have to be this hard.

And lest you think that this is soft stuff, allow me to make a business case for your personal fulfillment.

Some outcomes from leaders who embrace this include positive energy and motivation, role modeling, improved communication, better decision-making, increased resilience, more empathy and understanding, positive culture, and higher employee retention. The list is significant.

James, CEO and founder of a tech company, had lost his motivation and energy despite his company’s growth and success.

“There’s no excitement in leading anymore,” he shared. “We reach goals, or we don’t – and the alarming thing is, I’m beginning not to care.”

James claimed an overwhelming workload and a constant pressure to perform. But after exploring this in depth with him, the real issue became apparent: there was a lack of alignment between his professional achievements and his personal values.

Digging deeper, I discovered that James’ definition of success was narrowly focused on business metrics, without having defined first his vision of personal fulfillment.

Further, after conducting a comprehensive assessment, it was clear that James did not know how to tap into his top strengths for energy, and his approach conflicted with his top values – a recipe for burnout.

This called for a coaching intervention to help James develop a new definition of success incorporating personal happiness and wellbeing alongside professional achievements.

The Jumpstart

As so many of my clients appreciate, we met for an initial two-day jumpstart away from the office to fast-track the process. This was helpful in elevating James’ sense of hope, energy, clarity, and direction. It was necessary to define James’ values, personal mission and vision before moving on to the business.

This is a key factor that is often missed and, if not done well, can create chronic conflict in the leadership experience. We redefined James’ strengths, as he had taken multiple assessments over time, some of which were not reliable and others which were limited in scope (note to the reader: assessments are not apples and apples – beware!) During that initial two days, we also created a strategic plan to align his daily activities and long-term goals with his newly defined success criteria. This plan addressed both his business leadership and life.

The Deep Dive

With this as our GPS, we then coached over the next year. This is deep and transformational work, including shifting habits and approaches formed over years of time, reshaping the stories that James told himself to open up more potential, and removing roadblocks and triggers that had previously held him in place.

The Result

James’ enthusiasm and joy of leading was re-energized. This had a cascade effect on his executive team and on the company, since a leader’s influence is significant on culture and outcomes. Some of the results for his company included increased productivity, better work-life balance, improved team morale, and overall business growth.

What about you? What is your personal definition of success?

Does it include both career achievements and personal fulfillment? Are you aligned in your values and tapping into your top strengths daily as you lead?

© Patti Cotton and patticotton.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that attribution is made to Patti Cotton and patticotton.com, with links thereto.

Combating Decision Fatigue: Empowering Executives to Make Better Choices

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Combating Decision Fatigue: Empowering Executives to Make Better Choices
Image Credit: Depositphotos

Imagine Jane (a real situation, but fictitious name), a senior executive at a fast-growing tech company. Jane is brilliant, driven, and deeply committed to her role; and her leadership has helped the company outperform its two main competitors.

When I met her, however, Jane was feeling overwhelmed.

“Every day presents a relentless stream of decisions, both big and small. Honestly, it feels harder and harder to keep up. I’m mentally exhausted.”

What Jane was experiencing is decision fatigue, a common challenge for leaders like her, who oversee a volatile and dynamic environment.

Decision fatigue occurs when the quality of our decisions declines after an extended period of decision-making. For someone in Jane’s position, the constant need to make high-stakes decisions, coupled with managing complex issues, exacerbates this phenomenon.

Factors contributing to decision fatigue most often include the following:

  • Volume of Decisions – Jane faced an endless array of decisions daily, from strategic directions to operational details.
  • High-Stakes Nature – Each decision carries significant consequences, adding immense pressure.
  • Lack of Rest – Jane rarely took breaks, leading to mental exhaustion and diminished cognitive function.

Effect on the Team

As I talked with members of Jane’s team, it was clear that they were eager to support her and at the same time, concerned with how her leadership was taking a turn.

“She always seems tired, and when I present her with an issue, she seems to struggle to think clearly,” said one.

“True,’ said another. “She was quick to make choices that are straightforward, but they seem overwhelming, now.”

All agreed that Jane now became easily frustrated over minor issues. “I’m not even sure when to bring things to her attention,” said a third. “I’m starting to lose confidence in our ability to pull things off.”

It was clear that decision fatigue didn’t just affect Jane—it rippled through her leadership and organization, as it always does.

  • Jane experienced decreased productivity and heightened stress, edging towards burnout.
  • Jane’s impaired judgment and indecisiveness undermined her leadership effectiveness.
  • Her team’s morale and performance suffered, as they lost confidence in her decision-making.
  • This decline was starting to impact the company’s overall performance.

Internal Shifts and External Changes

To address decision fatigue, Jane had to make both internal shifts and external changes.

First, Jane had to recognize the real problem.

She initially perceived that she was simply overwhelmed by the volume of decisions. However, the real issue lay in her lack of effective decision-making strategies and self-care practices. Without these, the cognitive load became unmanageable.

Jane’s inner shifts included prioritizing self-care and mental health with regular exercise, enough sleep, and mindfulness and stress management techniques. This helped to recalibrate her nervous system and scattered thinking, and to replace this with a solid sense of calm and the ability to focus well.

She also needed to create a decision-making framework to simplify her process by categorizing decisions and delegating lower-stake choices.

These were simple shifts, but they required initiating new habits. As we worked on these, we also worked on some key external changes, including reviewing where Jane needed to delegate decision-making and how she might develop the trust to do so.

We also worked with her team to implement structured decision-making processes to ensure consistency.

And finally, Jane acknowledged that regular breaks and time off would be vital to helping her recharge. She recognized that this would be important for her team, as well, and they came to a mutual decision to implement this team wide.

What did this ultimately do for Jane and her company?

As I shared in the beginning, today, Jane’s company is out in front of her two main competitors with the lion’s share of the market. After establishing norms for decision-making, along with mental health and self-care, she was able to focus on developing a supportive work environment and to lead in the way that only someone in her role could.

What does this mean for you?

Jane’s story illustrates how decision fatigue can affect even the most capable leaders. By understanding its causes and impacts, and taking proactive steps to mitigate its effects, executives can enhance their decision-making capabilities.

Implementing both internal shifts, such as self-care and mindfulness, and external changes, like effective delegation and structured processes, can empower them to lead more effectively. This not only improves their well-being but also ensures their teams and organizations thrive.

© Patti Cotton and patticotton.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that attribution is made to Patti Cotton and patticotton.com, with links thereto.

When Your Executive Drops the Ball

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When Your Executive Drops the Ball
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Every leader has encountered a situation where one of his executive team members has messed up. It happens.

The problem is, in the heat of the moment, if the blooper is big, we might tend to blurt out the first thing that comes to mind.

Statements such as “I can’t believe you did that!” or “What were you thinking?” can really shut down any further dialogue. They can also fuel negative emotions and shame. These don’t help the situation.

What can you do to avoid creating more problems?

How can you respond in a supportive and proactive way so that the two of you can work from mess to solution?

Here are three questions that make this simpler than you think, helping you to turn a “bungle” into a positive coaching opportunity.

1. Focus on desired outcomes.

Pause. Breathe. Then, ask yourself, “What outcome do we need to achieve here?” This will help quell your emotions and keep dialogue productive.

2. Focus on the future.

Ask your executive, “What do we need to do from here?” This allows the executive to see that you are working as a team. At the same time, you are encouraging your executive’s critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities.

3. Focus on support.

Follow with the question, “How can I help?” Reinforce your show of support and your confidence in the executive’s ability to move forward.

The way you handle crisis can be alienating or team-strengthening. You’ll also be modeling this for others, fostering trust and support for growth in your organization.

The Clockwork of Excellent Leadership:   3 Essential Gears

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© Patti Cotton and patticotton.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that attribution is made to Patti Cotton and patticotton.com, with links thereto.

Do You Have an Absentee Leader on Your Team?

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Do You Have an Absentee Leader on Your Team?
Image Credit: Shutterstock

Absentee leadership is rarely discussed, but it is perhaps the most destructive of all poor leadership types. It can do more to compromise employee engagement, morale, and productivity than other faulty leadership styles.

Unfortunately, it is also the most difficult of the styles to detect, which means you may have one on your team right now.

How can you detect whether you have this element in the executive circle? And what can you do about it?

Also called an emotionally disengaged leader, an Absentee leads in title only. They are people who are perhaps promoted into management because they did great work in their previous position, and they enjoy the perks and rewards of their current elevated status. However, they do not put in the hard work of engaging with their team to provide direction and support. You might say that they deplete the organization’s value because they are taking from it, but not investing back into it.

This affects the teams and individuals in their area of responsibility in a much more insidious way because absentee leadership behaviors can cause confusion in roles, conflict between staff, and increased stress leading to work and health problems.

Symptoms that you have an Absentee on your team can include:

  1. End runs for answers.

Do you have employees from a specific area within the organization that continue to come to you for answers? Ask yourself why. Allowing or even supporting this disempowers their leader and crowds your calendar. If you have not encouraged this dynamic, it may be that these employees are not getting answers from the person who should be supporting them. Don’t fall into the trap of giving a quick and easy response to these queries; instead, make time to sit with the leader who should be supplying answers and share what you are noticing. The goal of this exercise is not to punish the employees, but to explore why they are not getting answers. Deep dive on this one.

  1. Increased conflict or interpersonal problems.

Do you have employees or an area within the organization that cyclically erupts? This is a reflection of unmanaged emotions and a lack of ability to negotiate relationships. If this is a trend, it is a reflection of someone allowing this to continue. I would call this an Absentee leader, since the leader is either aware of the situation but steps back from confronting, or they are unaware, which is worse. Again, this requires a conversation and some coaching around expectations. You’ll need to stick closely to the Absentee during a corrective period to monitor their progress. Absentees can disappear easily in the company crowd. They are generally nice people who don’t make noise, which allows them to hide behind other more evident company challenges.

  1. Team grumbling or low performance.

When conducting employee forums or interdepartmental meetings, do you notice that dissatisfaction is expressed from the same corners every time? Is there a team that is known for its compromised performance? A chronic poor attitude or behavior in either individuals or team is a clear sign that someone is not present for their team, providing coaching, corrective feedback, and upholding expectations. Again, your approach would be the same – to sit with your Absentee and outline what you are observing, how it is impacting others and the company, and to define clearly what you want to see. Monitor, monitor, monitor.

This topic is worth careful study if you want highest ROI from your executive team.

The impact of absentee leadership on job satisfaction outlasts the impact of both constructive and overtly destructive forms of leadership. This costs your company not only now, but in future, since best efforts to turn this around take time.

And at a time when your focus needs to be on leading the organization into the future, you can’t afford to compromise.

HOW MUCH

DO OTHERS REALLY TRUST YOU?

​Learn the two vital parts to trust and how they can help you become a more highly effective leader.

GET THE INFOGRAPHIC

© Patti Cotton and patticotton.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that attribution is made to Patti Cotton and patticotton.com, with links thereto.