Ahhh, summer. For those of us in southwestern Ontario (or most of Canada) summer is the hot season, and we revel in it. Not everyone likes the heat – but I do. And heat has turned out to have another great use – it is a main ingredient in a type of exercise called “hot yoga.”  This involves holding prescribed poses while in a classroom that is heated to about 105 degrees with about 40% humidity. Yes – you sweat!

Many leaders are familiar with hard-core cardio exercise:  cycling, running, aerobic classes, racquetball, tennis or squash or a myriad of team sports (especially hockey, eh?). There is a lot to attract high achievers to these competitive, adrenaline-pumping pursuits. So if you are fit – why would you consider other gentler forms of exercise – like Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi or AquaFit? They do increase your physical flexibility and strength, and they offer another advantage. They counter-balance the push, heave, grasp and grab environment that exists not just on the sports field, but in many office meeting rooms.  They offer a chance to slow your rhythm to the speed of a steadfast heart, where you can learn skills that carry over into your everyday work life.   

Here is a sample of the surprising lessons regular 90-min classes of Moksha Yoga have taught me.

1. Concentration and Focus: To do the variety of yoga poses you must pay attention.  The instructor skillfully reminds us to stay “in the room” and to give each pose my full attention. This brings my very busy mind back to the present moment.  In a world that forces us to multi-task, and that busily presents a million distractions, this is a skill that I hunger for. My classmates and I are perfectly silent for 90 minutes.  Close attention to my breath, and choosing a spot on the floor, help keeps me grounded in the harder standing/balance poses
2. Patience:  A moderately paced and concentrated workout at first feels annoyingly different than the driving aerobic physical exertion I am used to. Like many of my coaching clients, I have a competitive nature that is often bored silly if there isn’t some goal to strive toward.  I have learned that I cannot treat my yoga practice like training for a 10 km. race. I am not preparing for another event so much as experiencing today’s event.  The poses become easier when I slow down, move in and then relax into them. What is hard at first becomes almost natural when I patiently lean into it. In learning to soften my often tensed face and my belly, I am learning to slow down and patiently pay attention in other areas of my life.
3. Self-awareness:  In yoga we face a full mirror, and therefore we face ourselves. Sometimes the instructor will remind us to smile at our reflection. With yoga, each class is a chance to greet myself.  During the class, I am not comparing my form to others (ok, I am trying not to) but instead I am attending to myself. Other, more subtle aspects of self-awareness come to the fore. I notice, with gentle probing from my instructor, when I am resisting being in the class; when I am being critical of myself and others; when I am finding it hard to commit to a pose.
4. Paradoxical living:  Yoga allows you to intimately experience living in a more natural way. This is a way of complexity and neighbouring contrasts. Life, especially in business, is not as black & white as we might like to make it. So my instructor asks me to be strong when I am in warrior pose. Strong without being rigid. My legs are not steel posts; they have a system of moving muscles and tendons that hold my bones and me in place. There are times when we are reminded to be soft – but not so soft that we collapse. Strong spine with a soft belly. The subtle nuances of my way of being feel more real to me, and my choices are endless.

In addition to my personal experience, here are some additional benefits explained by the talented yoga instructors at Moksha Yoga in Waterloo, Ontario: Ashley Keefe, David Huckle and Eric Mathias.

Owning our Reactions:  We can notice many of our life’s stressors just by moving our bodies into and out of each yoga posture: these include responses toward our current mental and emotional state (e.g., I’m preoccupied, stressed, tired, sad, angry, happy, running out of time), limitations within our body (sore knees), responses toward our breathing (rate, depth, quality), and certainly responses toward our thoughts (e.g., I’m not good enough, I won’t get as far as I want to, it’s too hot in here, my breathing is changing, my legs are tired, I’m hungry) . Every time we enter, remain in, and exit from, a pose, these stressors become present and they make themselves known. By remaining presently focused in each posture we can notice our reactive tendencies, ways in which we respond habitually in the presence of these stressors. By reacting, instead of choosing how to act, we get caught in the suffering that our habitual tendencies bring; that is, the stressors are now actually causing us suffering.

Transcending Stress: Practicing yoga can allow us to notice how many of life’s stressors (e.g., work stressors) can be accepted and transcended. The ability of stress to affect us can and should be included in our response to stress. That is, by inviting stress into our awareness and feeling it affect us, we develop the ability to form responses that help us grow. A yoga practice can help us develop the ability to simply notice (and breathe deeply) just as we begin to experience some of these life stressors. Taking just a few moments to breathe deeply and slowly can help to change our perspective and our potential responses. 

 Jill Malleck is a Coach and Organization Development consultant. She and her associates at Epiphany at Work support individuals, leaders and teams to accelerate positive change.

Copyright 2010 by Epiphany at Work. Reproduction for publication is encouraged with the following attribution:  From “Epiphanies at Work” by Jill Malleck www.epiphanyatwork.com.

Why did I want to get involved with CCBR? First of all I am thrilled by the work they are doing – which seeks to partner academics (trained researchers) with members of the community to ensure that the projects can be responsive to real needs and can integrate all voices in the affected community. Group facilitation and participative practices are core to the work they do, and also core to what Epiphany at Work does! Mostly, I was attracted by their stated values, which mirror my own (and many trained OD/HR professionals):

- We value and respect the inherent worth of all individuals
- Every person has the right to equitable participation in all aspects of community life
- There is healing and empowerment when people tell their own stories in supportive and challenging environments
- Social changes happens when individuals, organizations, and institutions collaborate to name and challenge unjust power relationships
- We value research that begins in community, involves community, and is used by community
- Community based research creates conditions for social innovation and social justice.

For a deeper look at the work of CCBR check out their website at www.communitybasedresearch.ca

Joseph P. Franklin graduated from West Point in 1955 and has a Master’s degree in Civil and Nuclear Engineering from MIT. He was commandant of cadets at West Point from 1979 to 1982. He has served in both military and civilian leadership positions.

West Point Military Academy trains leaders for careers in all walks of life, and their graduates are found in the highest level of achievements in all careers. The education and training given at West Point is considered some of the best leadership training: Its academic programs rank among the best universities in the world.

This book is written by a 73 year old retired Major General who has been a leader in the military, the Academy and as a CEO of a private corporation. In it Joseph Franklin gives personal anecdotes that are moving, entertaining and educational. If you hold the stereotypical view that military training is basically a “do as you’re told” kind of training, this book will break that myth. Franklin details how at West Point cadets are trained to do what is right, think on their feet, work together and get the job done. His long history with the organization allows him to comment on some of the recent changes at West Point – brought about by generational changes in society and the introduction of female officers.

In Brief

Franklin emphasizes the character of a leader as he details 10 principles for great leaders. He believes that “A leaders highest calling is to serve our fellow man” and prefaces his chapters with these three main advice points:

• Recognize and understand the Big Picture which gets bigger as you move along in your career;
• Don’t let ego get in the way of good judgment; i.e. be able to ask for help
• Remember that no one is infallible; know your limits

“None of these principles is beyond your reach. I’m not suggesting that you have to go to some mythical place where you’ll be magically transformed into a great leader. It’s not that complicated. You can find your own level; indeed you’ll be an ineffective leader is you’re trying to be someone (or something) you’re not. There is no pretense with great leaders. They are who they are.”

“Among the prerequisites for a good leader is a thickening of the skin. Sorry, but there is no way around that one. It is the leader’s lot in life to be the subject of speculation and second-guessing among contemporaries and subordinates at every level.”

Key Principles

Duty

Duty is about doing the right thing, when it should be done, without having to be told. The best leader has a sense of duty to the community and to others. Duty also means knowing when to delegate to someone else in the interest of the organization.

Honour

Honour means choosing the harder right instead of the easier wrong. Cadets at West Point have an Honour Code that says they will not lie, cheat or steal, and will not tolerate those who do.

Faith

This faith is that which is built by trustworthiness and competency. Leaders create trust in others by being faithful. As well, a leader must have the confidence to project faith in whatever the team is trying to accomplish. Overall, faith is like “applied optimism” when a leader tells the team that they can do it.

Courage

Courage is not just about taking risks in battle, it includes the courage to admit when you are wrong. Franklin says its backbone is character. Courage is not foolhardy or reckless. It is the ability to resist opposition, defend those who cannot defend themselves and make decisions on your own and live with the consequences.

Perseverance

Having dogged determination is the most important trait for long term leadership success. This commitment means you show up every day and you are dependable. Leaders need to be present and visible and Franklin refers to the concept of “management by walking around.” He explains why leaders need to be patient, set priorities and persevere when the workload and demands get high.

Confidence

Confidence allows leaders to guide others during times of uncertainty and change. Leaders must be willing to take the blame and admit mistakes. They learn from failure and let others fail as well.

Approachability

The ability to mix with other people and be “human” is the way that leaders create an environment where others feel comfortable – even urged- to communicate with them. A leader’s sense of humour and smile can open communication and rapport that will give them important information.

Adaptability

Leaders always have to deal with change and this ability to innovate and be creative encourages ingenuity in others. Franklin says that all of the army’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)today have evolved from ideas adapted from existing systems.

Compassion

Compassionate leaders are neither too hard nor too soft. They are thoughtful of others and show their humanity. They do not wield power indiscriminately. They have an attitude “we’re all in this together”.

Vision

Leaders look ahead for obstacles and begin to plot how to overcome them.

Conclusion

Franklin’s book does a great job of interweaving and overlapping the 10 principles to give a holistic and integrated view of great leadership. His examples prove that, even where results matter and stress is high, leaders who use heart as well as head are those that will succeed.