In honor of Earth Day, I spoke with Patrick Flynn, climate change expert and former head of global sustainability at Salesforce, to learn how he embodies conscious leadership.
Patrick leads with his values - love, impact and responsibility. Throughout the conversation, you get a sense of how his commitment to serving our planet ties directly into all three of these.
In this video, you’ll hear Patrick’s take on “leading from within, not from the front” and how he maximizes impact through INFLUENCE.
Patrick shares how he persuaded Salesforce to install the blackwater recycling system in the Salesforce Tower of San Francisco - the largest of its kind in North America.
Important Takeaways:
How Patrick leads through his values
The importance of speaking other people’s language
How to influence cognitively | emotionally | somatically
A specific approach Patrick takes to influencing others: fear (risk averse) + pride (reward)
How Patrick gets on other people’s wavelength
How Patrick applies his gut / spidey sense
Concrete action you can take to engage and contribute to climate change.
How to leverage your corporate purchasing power to make a difference in sustainability.
My favorite takeaway: “When you are trying to get people to take action, cover the enthusiasts as well as the risk-averse in the same breath.”
What’s your favorite takeaway or next step?
#earthday2024 #sustainability #climatechange #servantleadership
How to use somatic intelligence to boost enthusiasm at work (and in life)
Who would you rather work with? The uptight perfectionist? Or the determined enthusiast?
In today’s world, there are so many reasons to feel down that enthusiasm takes effort and discipline to find.
Sometimes, we hunker down and try harder and harder, but then trying harder backfires, and we’re tired. And burdened. And depleted. Now what?
Here’s a short example of how perfectionism and trying hard make things worse.
It also highlights how somatic intelligence helps you catch yourself and flip from rigid to relaxed.
Remember: when you’re stuck, use your body to change your mind.
Also remember - finding enthusiasm takes practice. But once you embody it, it’s a contagious superpower.
Crying in the Bathroom at Work Became My Life's Turning Point
I moved to California from the east coast of the United States. I arrived in Silicon Valley fresh out of roles in management consulting and my first tech startup. I’d even had my picture in Fortune magazine by the time I was 24. I had high hopes for product strategy position in large software company. I had made it through a reduction in force (RIF) and the elimination of my boss and team. However, the new role and culture was even more toxic than before and no matter how hard I worked none of it mattered or made a difference. It kept getting worse and then one day I found myself crying in the bathroom. My body was telling me something my mind didn’t want to hear. I was a cog in a machine going nowhere fast.
Bathroom tears - they happened multiple times - became my tipping point. In fact, they might have been the first time I listened to my body. Things were not okay. I was not okay. Lost and burned out, I followed the advice of a friend, and drove down the jagged California coast to a retreat center in Big Sur, California called Esalen. It was a place that promised healing and transformation. What started as a weeklong spiritual retreat with a Shaman became nine months of immersion into healing traditions from around the world.
Big Sur, California
After living at Esalen for a few months, I met a healer who said, “you look like someone who could use some bodywork.” I had no idea what they were talking about, but the offer for free healing work, at a time when I had no income, was too hard to pass up.
What I thought would be a massage, wasn’t. Instead, it was a deep tissue modality designed to release old blocks and aberrations in the body. It was intense, even painful at times, but as I confronted and breathed through the pain, bit by bit I released the armor I had built up over my lifetime so far. I could not believe how different I felt. After the left side of the body was worked, I stood in front of the mirror and was shocked. I was completely lopsided. The left half of my face was softer, my left shoulder was lower, my left leg was straight, and all parts relaxed. In contrast, my right side was more chiseled, sharp, braced for an attack. But thanks to the work on the left, I felt an intense calm, like staring out on a deep blue lake. It was calmer than I could ever recall. My head was still. My mind was quiet. I grinned. Even my smile was lopsided. I felt like I’d been to the dentist and one side had been numbed, the other hadn’t. “Let’s do the other side,” I said.
I didn’t fully grasp it back then, but letting go of old hurt and trauma allowed me to inhabit my body differently; and I soon discovered how much easier it was to be calm when my body was calm. I realized it was easier to think clearly when my body was clearer. Dissolving old trauma that lived as tension and tightness in the muscles and tissue of my body changed my whole perspective. This was the second time in my life that the mind body connection was overwhelmingly evident to me.
If you’re curious about the first time I learned about the power of mind body applied to both life and work you can watch this video to hear that story.
Both stories (and many more) will be shared in my upcoming book. If you haven’t already, sign up for my newsletter using the form at the bottom of this page to stay informed about the book.
A One-Word Intention
Diving in to work in the new year can feel a bit like a slog. Having a whole set of intentions and plans can make it even harder.
Here’s a solution that lends itself to more simplicity and ease:
It’s your intention for the year, encapsulated into one word.
That’s it. One word that captures the gist of what you want to keep remembering in the days and weeks ahead.
If you had to choose just one word right now, what would it be?
Why is this word important to you?
What’s one thing you can do this week to embody that intention?
How might you remember and return to that intention over time?
How to Escape the Busyness Trap
As we move toward the year's end and December holidays, you’re likely busy with end of year wrap-up and experiencing holiday hustle from greetings, gatherings, and gift giving. 70% of our clients consider late November - early December the busiest time of year. In the tech sector right now many are experiencing the uncertainty of layoffs or a decreasing stock price. So if you’re feeling busy or stressed you’re in good company.
Here’s a gift you can give to yourself right now that takes mere minutes and is worth your time because the eye of the storm is when self awareness matters most. It’s a gift of perspective.
Though you’re busy…
Your to do list is full of what needs to be done.
Your state of being determines how you do it.
But what really matters is why you’re doing it all in the first place.
These 3 questions will help you pay closer attention to why and how you’re doing all that you’re doing right now.
What is one of your top values?
What’s one thing you can do to embody this value?
(Observe, ongoing) What changes as a result of your embodiment of that value?
Here’s an example:
Writing this piece in time for the holidays is what I’m doing.
1) I value grace/ease. It’s one why behind many choices I make.
2) I can embody grace and ease by softening my jaw, relaxing my forehead and releasing the tension in my shoulders. This is how I can approach what I’m doing.
3) I notice that as soon as I do this, I write the next sentence as if words were like water flowing through me. I’m still writing this piece. But my how just changed and now it’s just easier to do because my why is clear and ease is my focus, not the writing itself.
A colleague tried this, here’s what happened:
A senior global tech leader didn’t realize how stressed she was until she nearly backed into someone while holiday shopping at lunchtime. She was quieter than normal and admitted that she was anxious about her job with the next wave of expected layoffs. But she still paused and gave this a try and here’s what happened:
1) She values impact. Impact is her why.
2) Pausing to remember that value was big. She realized that it’s not about achieving or accomplishing – though she’s very good at both. She realized she could embody impact by being still (deliberately patient, waiting, watching) when she would normally spring into action. Stillness and slowness become her how, even though it’s uncomfortable for her. But it’s kind of like surfing - waiting and watching for the next big wave to come rather than pushing and paddling for no reason.
3) Observing herself as she paused, she describes a feeling of excitement: “I feel happy and my mind is now flooded with ideas, when before I felt blank.” As I observed her in conversation, her eyes lit up, her shoulders dropped. I felt energized in her presence. Of course she’ll find another opportunity. And being still - waiting, watching could be a key to how she’ll find it.
Your turn, values
Identifying values is something we frequently do in coaching. So you may already know your top 3. But if you haven’t uncovered your values (in the past 3 years), go here or here to identify them. Both tests are free and take about 10 minutes to complete. If you’d like an even faster option, go here and pick one value that speaks to you right now.
Then,
What’s one thing you value? Choose just one.
What are two ways you can embody this value? If you had to pantomime or act it out, how would your body express this value?*
What do you observe as a result? How does your BEing (in the body) shift your DOing?
*If you find yourself getting stuck here, you can reverse engineer the process by observing yourself doing the task. Let’s say it’s writing Christmas cards. While you’re doing that task, notice where you feel tension in your body. Maybe your wrist feels heavy. Imagine your value being infused into that heaviness. If your answer to question one is joy…imagine joy (if joy could act perhaps it’s lightness) in your wrist. Just for a moment. What happens next as you continue to write?
While there’s no escaping life and the stressors at any given time
We have a choice in how we meet those stressors. The process doesn’t have to be hard. It entails pausing to reflect and then taking one small but deliberate step at a time. One small step leads to one small shift which leads to even more shifts. Each step is something to build upon and celebrate. This is how you Access Alignment. This is what conscious leadership is all about.
If you like this concept but aren’t able to engage with it right now,
I invite you to bookmark this page for later…and when you’re ready to envision how you want to be in 2023, use this 3-step process to guide you.
4 Questions Before a Coaching Session
Great leaders have high self awareness and they use techniques to help them think strategically and proactively. Here are four questions I offer clients before a coaching session to help them get the most from our time together as well as increase self awareness + strategic thinking:
1) What's going well?
2) What are you discovering?
3) What are you challenged by?
4) What is your intention (goal) for our time together?
Toxic Leader or Big Baby?
Toxic leaders can feel threatening and dangerous. What if you’re caught in the cross hairs?
My client was challenged by a toxic leader. It was a peer and they had to work together on a joint problem. They had an urgent meeting scheduled later that afternoon. The toxic leader - let’s call them “TL” - had demonstrated over the past several weeks that they did not actually want to collaborate. They wanted my client to acquiesce to their demands and do things their way. When my client did not do this, it enraged them and escalated things. TL resorted to back channeling, accusing my client of lying and derailing the project. TL made work difficult for my client, their boss as well as both teams who were expected to work together.
Mindset makes a difference
A thought occurred to me as I listened in the session. TL sounded like a big baby. A baby having a temper tantrum. “Mine!” Reaching for the shiny object. Imagine you’re the sibling who has the shiny toy. They scream to Mama/Boss - “Waaah! Mommy s/he hit me! S/he stole it!” (you did neither).
Toxic leaders feel like a threat. It’s easy to get caught in the drama or to fear the damage they could do.
But a baby is not a threat. And what’s most important for the baby? Be an adult.
1) Keep cool, even though that's very hard to do.
2) Be the soothing adult who distracts the child and gives them something they need.
3) Don’t be the sibling that pokes or takes a toy away.
Don’t antagonize the baby.
I watched my client relax, smile and sit back a little bit.
How are you feeling about that meeting now? Better, s/he replied.
We began to strategize how my client would show up for the meeting.
What prep was needed? When to speak up? What to offer? What questions to ask?
A few hours later my client messaged me after the meeting. It went smoothly. Victory!
Just because a meeting finally went smoothly does not mean the problem is solved. And there will likely be many more instances where staying calm and being deliberate with tone, words and actions are essential; Nevertheless, it’s a wonderful improvement, something to celebrate and build on.
Does this story resonate with you? Toxic leaders can be very tricky. What’s worked for you? What mindsets, postures or ways-of-being have you used working with a toxic leader? How did this shift your behavior? How did your new attitudes and behaviors produce new or different results?
Is it Time for a Strategic Offsite for Yourself?
A different point of view is worth 80 IQ points. - Alan Kay
Many years ago I was feeling lost and looking for something to bring clarity to my life’s path and my purpose so I decided to live in a Zen temple for a month. While I was there I participated in a week-long sesshin. It was intense and difficult. It entailed sitting in Zazen (meditation) for 9 hours a day, doing physical labor and confronting not only the physical pain of sitting still but many emotional and mental aspects of myself that got stirred up to the surface where I could see them. As hard as it was, the experience was so powerful that I’ve made it a priority since then to take time away for spiritual growth and self mastery. One of the ways I’ve done that is through quarterly silent retreats. Over the years my practice has become less formal and more relaxed but I still find some basic structures (which I’ll describe below) to be important. For some, spiritual growth and business growth are two different things. For me these two are not only aligned but deeply integrated. Regardless of whether your motivations are spiritual or practical, I highly recommend this life changing tool to increase clarity, purpose and alignment of your purpose with your path.
The strategic offsite (for you)
In this recent study by top executive recruiting firm, Egon Zehnder, CEO’s realize it’s essential to expand their capacity to be self aware. And other research suggests that self reflection is the key to building this awareness.
To make this a habit, I recommend that once a quarter, go away for a few days. Being physically away, outside your home and typical surroundings, makes it easier to step outside and notice habitual ways of thinking and working. It encourages you to think bigger, to look at life from a wider lens and gain a fresh perspective. It’s your own strategic offsite, with ample space and time to reflect.
I sat in awe of this California coastline
Location matters
For me, the physical place has a dramatic impact on this process. To think expansive thoughts I do best with an expanded view, high ceilings, fresh air. I find it much harder to think outside the box if I’m indeed sitting in a small or stagnant box. In my most recent trip, I was on the California coastline and I spent hours staring out into the distance, catching an occasional glimpse of vertical spray on the ocean surface from whales. I let myself daydream and become hypnotized by pelicans floating on the wind. Before you choose a place, think about times and places that you were calm or awake or alive and consider what conditions would be most supportive for you.
Minimize distraction
I recommend being mostly if not entirely offline, silent and unreachable during this time. This is a luxury not everyone has. By minimizing conversations with others and avoiding distraction there’s no place to go but within. Yes, it can be uncomfortable at first but even extroverts have done it and survived! If this sounds daunting, I recommend attending a guided group retreat as a first step. It becomes easier over time and clarity comes with time. I don’t always do a great job of maintaining the silence, and it can be frustrating when it doesn’t work. So be gentle with yourself. Set boundaries and experiment with this.
Get physical
Getting out and moving makes a big difference. I recommend starting the day with some gentle stretches and breathing exercises and incorporating a walk or hike during the day. Use your body to support your mind.
Here are some questions you might ponder:
Who am I? How am I evolving as a person?
What matters most to me? What do I value?
What preferences are driving me?
Is my life and work aligned with what matters most?
If not, what needs to change?
What systems, structures, habits, processes do I need to shift in order to increase that alignment between what I’m doing and what matters most?
What conversations do I need to start, stop or shift?
Where am I on a much longer timeline? When do I need to be patient? When do I need to push?
Who might be able to assist me in the next chapter of my career?
If my older, wiser self could speak to me now, what would she/he/they tell me?
Some of the benefits
As a result of these ongoing offsites and silent retreats I’m more proactive, less reactive with my work. I have more clarity around my priorities. My confidence has increased, because stepping back helps me see how far I’ve come and some of the major milestones I’ve reached. I’ve redefined relationships and work agreements so that they truly work for me. In some cases this means letting go of projects or relationships that no longer align for me. In my most recent time away I realized it’s time to scale and increase support so I can take my work to the next level.
The results vary and aren’t necessarily incremental. Sometimes it can feel like a few steps forward and then a few steps back. Though I just shared some of the insights and benefits for me, sometimes these come in hindsight. So don’t expect the moon. And, if you discover one new thing about yourself or about how you’re showing up in a situation that has been troubling you, would it be worth it?
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
How do you make time for yourself and life’s bigger questions?
When have you taken time out for self-reflection and what were the results?
If anything here sparks your interest, what’s one thing you could do to increase your self-reflection time?
To have an increasingly clear and conscious impact, it’s essential to be intentional about who you are and how your life and work expresses this. Taking time out is one of the ways to get off the treadmill of life and be more awake and alive to the choices you are making.
Center Yourself and Your Team in 3 Minutes (or Less)
You know how it feels to begin a meeting when all the attendees are wildly distracted. Most leaders are in back-to-back meetings, with barely enough time to go to the bathroom let alone collect themselves and their thoughts to be fully available.
At some point you’ve also probably experienced a guided grounding exercise that helped you and others let go of the stressors and unprocessed emotions of the day. Maybe it was led by a meditation teacher, a yoga instructor or some other wellness guru. Whenever possible, it’s powerful to have this kind of guidance. But you could also lead a centering exercise on your own. You don’t have to be an expert, just bring your intent for clarity and calm and let this 3 minute script below do the rest. Suggestion: read it slowly.
You may have heard the phrase go slow to go fast. Before we get in to the content of today’s meeting, let’s deliberately slow down for a few minutes. For this you can have your eyes open or closed.
Start to notice your breathing. As you breathe, where does it go, where does it flow?
[pause]
Notice the speed. Notice the depth of each breath.
[pause]
Next I invite you to feel your seat on the seat…
Feel your feet on the floor.
Observe all other points of contact – perhaps your arm resting on the chair.
[pause]
Now if your body was divided front and back, how much of your energy and awareness is in front of you? How much energy and awareness do you have behind you?
[pause]
If your body was divided left and right, how evenly distributed are you between the two sides?
[pause]
Now I invite you to scan your entire body, as if you were looking at it on a radar screen. What parts of your body blip on that screen and get your attention? Notice any areas of tension or tightness.
[pause]
Now once again, observe the breath. Noticing its speed, its rhythm.
Notice the depth of each breath.
[pause]
And now we’ll slowly return to the room, no need to hurry.
Note: You might debrief immediately afterwards to help participants digest and internalize this self-awareness process. Just ask for a volunteer or two to share:
• How was that for you?
• What shifted in you as you slowed down to observe your body?
3 P's to Remember When Creating a High Performing Team
For leaders building healthy and high performing teams,
it often takes much longer than expected to shift both people and process.
The more ambitious, determined, and optimistic you are, the more relevant these 3 P’s will be.
Patience –to work at the speed and intensity you crave, go slow to go fast.
Continuously build and earn trust. Think of planting seeds rather than harvesting fruit.
Pace – it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Pay attention to timing, sequence, and stages.
Perspective - The existing culture is like the sea everyone is swimming in. You likely bring a new and valuable perspective. Remember to take multiple viewpoints into account. Zoom in, zoom out.