In a recent Mentor Mastermind session with a client, I invited participants to pose questions to a panel of experienced senior leaders, all of whom had served as mentors to several young professionals. In early queries, mentees sought tips on better time management and insight about how to establish balance when working on demanding projects (block time on your calendar for strategic thinking, one mentor suggested). After some rather generic back and forth, one question took the conversation to another level.
“What do you wish you had learned sooner in your journey to the leadership level?” one woman asked. Much of what the panelists shared related less to the positions they pursued on the way to the top and more to their efforts to build the mental fortitude required for success. After a momentary pause, individual panelists replied:
- “Recognize that leadership requires mental mastery as much as technical skill and knowledge. It’s a muscle that needs to be built and exercised regularly, beginning with the mindset you hold. Start by viewing business projects and challenges with a growth mindset. Have certainty that the answers are out there, and you will find them. In the end, it’s all about what you’re learning through the process of solving those challenges. It builds mental muscle and resilience that you get better at with practice.” Research by psychologist Carol Dweck supports this recommendation. She found that students who focused on learning goals rather than performance goals achieved greater success through a growth mindset. Conversely, those for whom performance was the primary focus felt threatened by challenges where their success wasn’t a certainty and were less likely to overcome stumbling blocks.
- “Dress rehearse success. Every day, I spend 15 minutes before my first meeting, visualizing the big things I want to accomplish. I keep on visualizing until I feel real joy. Then, I hold on to that emotion for as long as I can. It’s a mental practice that allows me to tap in to that feeling throughout the day, which is especially helpful when things are tough.”
- “Most of my days are jam-packed with big problems that need to be solved. If they land on my desk, it means a host of people have already looked at them and need my input before going further. So, the decision stakes are high and lots of data is flowing my way. What has helped me be successful is to begin my day with 30 minutes of silence, something I wish I had the discipline to do early in my career. No cell phone, no talking, no computer, just sitting in a quiet room. It’s like a reboot for your mind that allows you to get clear insight about what matters most.”
- “I’ve learned that I make my most sound decisions before 2:00 pm, so I schedule my most complex meetings in the morning. When the decisions are high risk, time permitting, I’ll wait until the next day before implementing anything. My advice is to figure out when your mental faculties are their sharpest. It’s a critical insight that will support your personal growth and success as a leader.”
- “Early in my career, I used to drive home after work every day, thinking about all the things that had gone wrong or needed fixing. By the time I walked into the house to greet my partner, I was in a lather. After months of this, one day, he asked me if anything had gone right. It was then that I realized how little gratitude and acknowledgment I’d given to the good things that were happening, even the small victories. Now, I practice gratitude at the end of my day. No matter how small, I write down the good things that have happened. An added plus is I identify the people on my team who deserve my appreciation and make sure they know I’m grateful for their efforts. Thank somebody every day.” Research shows the benefits of gratitude are plentiful, including greater happiness, improved health and strengthened relationships.
- “Understand your sleep needs. There is so much being said about the importance of getting 8 hours of sleep that the pressure to do so was making me crazy. So, instead of chastising myself for not sleeping, I got a full medical workup to evaluate the quality of my sleep, and it turns out that I’m mentally and physically sharper with less than 8 hours of snooze time. My body needs 4-5 hours. After that, I’m wide awake, refreshed and ready to go. But you may need more sleep than I do, so plan for sleep as you plan for other important parts of your day.”
- “Choose premium fuel. A sharp mind is a well-fed one, so nutrition is something I wish I’d paid more attention to earlier in my career. When working long hours, I’d grab dinner from vending machines or fast-food places. The research on nutrition and brain function has convinced me that eating well is an important part of my job as a leader. I can’t show up as my best for the team if my brain doesn’t have quality fuel.”
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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