The Most Important Leadership Principle – Slow Down
The most important leadership principle often forgotten by many leaders and least considered is Slow Down.
As a leader, one must pause and see things from a different point of view. Look upon your reaction. Instead of overthinking what other leaders would do in a certain situation, solve an underlying root cause by creating your own space. Self-reflection increases the awareness of performance traits, developing the ability to adapt the business solutions.
If you don’t pause yourself, you start believing that you are the controller of everything as a leader, and you can make anything work by simply pushing it harder. But this is far from reality. You can’t be a ringmaster.
The only things that can be under your control are the inputs that can mend an environment, although having title and responsibilities as a leader. You can make creative contexts for your team, directing what is right and wrong for your team. A leader acts as a communicating vessel. Every single responsibility of the team has to be carried out by the leader. But you can’t control your team.
When a leader forgets to slow down, there comes opposition to every single view and feedback. Change is not adapted easily with this kind of mentality. Every change insisted by team members is rejected without bothering to explain the reason. Preoccupied visions and the appearance of things insulates new ideas from being framed, ignoring that they can serve at their best. Meaningful opportunities with the teams are being canceled, giving them the excuse of not having enough time. Having confidence in oneself is good, but you should always value others’ ideas and opinions.
Leaders should always be ready to move on and forgive. You, as a leader, should be aware of all the members of your team, and you should always strive to look out for their welfare. Leaders should always motivate and inspire the team by creating enthusiasm among the team members.
The decisions should be made consistently, considering every individual’s thinking abilities.
Slowing down provides enough space to be calm and think about whether you provide a suitable and sustainable work environment for your team members to work peacefully, giving fruitful results. Space is necessary as it gives a thoughtful response.
It is better to pause and look upon your reflection to be aware of reality. Pause is necessary as it allows you to think upon your recreation ideas. The leaders must ask themselves whether they slow down enough to remember this principle of leadership.
Make a pause to make sound and timely decisions. Slowing down can help you know yourself by seeking a better part of your personality. It is better to pause for at least a minute at the end of the day to reflect upon you if you are upholding your highest use as a leader. Leaders may rage against the barriers, but they should always be optimistic and confident.