The VIM Executive Coaching sources of inspiration for posts comes from all different types of source material, including a recent image of a monkey peeling a banana in a National Geographic special.
The comment that initiated the conversation was “Well, they’re doing it wrong.” There was only one thing to do when the comment of the “banana peeling expert,” was espoused and that was to smile. For millions of years, the presumably lowly chimp has been successfully peeling bananas from the bottom, while our 36-year-old expert has been peeling them from the top down because, in her words, “That’s the way humans do it.”
Banana Mindfulness
While not to belabor the banana peeling discussion, after “scrupulous” testing we did, nevertheless note that both techniques equally worked! Both enabled us to get at the food. If a strong case had to be made upon penalty of going to banana jail, for peeling a very ripe banana, the bottom-up monkey approach seemed less messy.
Bringing the absurd monkey argument forward and up into the realm of executive leadership (please note we are purposely avoiding all low-hanging fruit puns), debates in regard to what personality types make the best leaders are no different.
Indeed, we are often saddened when an otherwise, aware, effective or dedicated executive is steered away from leadership because she or he is deemed to have the “wrong personality” to become an excellent leader.
When we talk of leadership challenges, we know all too well that timid or self-doubting executives have risen to great heights when thrust into important leadership positions while bombastic personalities have badly fallen into disrepute. VIM Executive Coaching has several measures of executive leadership that fall far outside the usual claptrap of the so-called ideal leadership personality type. Clearly, mindfulness rises to the top of the list.
“Mindfulness” does not imply fist-pounding on a desk or out-yelling others on a Zoom call about what should have been done or will be done in the future. Quite the opposite, the state of mindfulness focuses on the present. The mindful executive leader understands that the more closely they can get in touch with themselves and to accept what they are experiencing in the moment, the more open they can be to others.
The most mindful leaders, without fail, are the most authentic in decision making and relating to others. If we are in the moment, we can truly experience authenticity. The mindful and by extension, the authentic executive leader is exactly who they appear to be. Therefore, if compassion is called for, or firmness or observation, the authentic executive leader is exactly that without artificiality or contrivance.
The point many misunderstand is that mindfulness, authenticity or even compassion are not indicative of weakness or indecision. Quite the contrary. There is nothing weak about looking at a situation and thinking “this isn’t right.” There is nothing timid about telling an employee they are underperforming, and saying so firmly, within the context of consideration of their abilities.
Some of the greatest leaders in history have been tested in the greatest moments of their careers, however there is no requirement that they were the loudest voices, only that people believed the leader’s voice was the most authentic.
The banana peeling argument is truly an example of another executive leadership conundrum. In truth, it makes no difference which way we arrive at the fruit, so long as the discovery is born of genuineness. We arrive at that place by being mindful.