“As human beings, we think that because we can think a certain way that we’ll think this way forever. What I discovered is that we spend years being unconscious in our thinking, in part because we’re growing up and living our lives. So, it takes time to untie all the tethers that have been woven together to shape you as an individual — which is a wonderful thing. Recognizing that you can unwind those tethers and recreate a completely new tapestry — is liberating.” — Susie Crippen, founder of 4, and co-founder of J Brand, Vista Caballo graduate
One important aspect of your leadership development is the ability to develop a new mindset. It’s a skill that puts the reins of control squarely in your hands while connecting you to yourself and the present moment. Leadership development is a process, and like any other, it will grow with practice.
To activate new thinking, start your day with these questions:
“How can I challenge myself today?”
“Is there a thought that gets in the way?”
“Is this thought merely a bad habit standing in the way of my fulfillment?”
Leadership development is a process: start with noticing your thinking.
Your thinking drives your decisions. And your decisions define the life you are leading and your ability to transform your talent into conscious leadership.
Stay open and curious as you notice your thinking. This kind of introspective engagement will bring to the surface your behaviors and empowers you to understand how they impact your life through the outcomes they produce.
Remember that leadership development is a process. By gaining awareness of your thinking you can begin to understand its influence on your perspectives, views, beliefs, assumptions, values and on the way you perceive and interpret the world around you and, in turn, on the way you make decisions. Through this awareness, you can begin to find your blind spots.
If you struggle to identify your blind spots, ask yourself:
“What triggers me?”
“Do I approach life responsively (openly) or reactively (defensively)?”
“Am I more comfortable in situations when I feel connected, or when I feel in control?”
Here’s how we do it:
The StillPoint Experience is our transformative technology platform that provides a framework for leaders to access their subconscious thinking. Daily, in short sprints, it prompts leaders to challenge their thinking, find their blind spots and elevate their talent to new levels of consciousness. Our validated assessments empower leaders and their teams to crack open their thinking so they can become unstoppable. Find out more here.
You are courageous and confident. Challenge yourself.
To discover your blind spots you need to be able to let your guard down and be open to question your beliefs, biases, mental constructs, approaches and assumptions. In these moments, its normal to freeze up. If this happens to you, try to avoid immediately jumping to a conclusion.
Instead, suspend judgement and consider:
“I am the only one in this moment. I am the only one here. Just me, and life.”
Because leadership development is a process, a daily practice of challenging yourself will give you access to a whole new way of thinking. Expand your thinking and live responsively (openly) versus reactively (defensively), which is liberating. This will empower you to deconstruct any self-imposed protective constraints that are keeping you from bigger, better opportunities and the life you want to live.
This leadership development tip is adapted from “The Best Way to See Your Blind Spots.”
Are you and your teams ready to challenge yourselves to reach higher levels of consciousness?
Vista Caballo is empowering and equipping conscious leaders to become unstoppable in leading their best lives and solving our world’s challenges: the leaders who know that only through the power of self-discovery will they be able to create the solutions to the current social and environmental challenges they face.
Join us. Equip and empower yourself to transform from where you are to where you want to be, and in doing so, transform our planet.