Some of VIM Executive Coaching’s most successful executive leadership clients had the most unusual hobbies. We can well remember the client who, at 5 a.m. (give or take) would trudge out to a beautifully landscaped area with a genuine Japanese rake and rake a crushed stone “Zen Garden.” Another client started taking sewing and tailoring lessons and made suits, and a third became a master at croissant making.
You will note we did not include occupations above, but if you insist, the Zen Gardener was a talented CFO; the tailor was the chief of anesthesiology and the croissant and French pastry master was a former professional athlete turned entrepreneur. Even further, we have other surprises (sort of) the “tailor” also made dresses for his wife and the baker played beach volleyball.
Raking the Garden
This post isn’t about hobbies or even about relaxation, but ways in which executive leaders under great stress brought themselves to greater mindfulness.
Of the three examples we cited above (we have a ton more), none became experts in a new field. The Zen Gardener continued in finance; the tailor remained in healthcare and the professional athlete launched several health and fitness products.
The Zen Gardener would get ready for work, put on a raggedy old jacket, go outside and for 15 minutes, slowly rake patterns; the anesthesiologist put on scrubs and then prepared for the day’s work by cutting fabric or measuring (or other tailoring stuff), while the baker shut off all things digital for a half hour and allowed himself to breathe – and just breathe, while kneading dough and such.
The three, when unable to work at their pursuits would simply pick a quiet place at home or work or hotel rooms or airports and meditate.
Individually, we would say that each believed their secret interests were rather unremarkable, though they became quite good at their arts. Collectively, they became executive leaders who were admired; they were compassionate and authentic, and most of all, they were effective in relating to their co-workers, be they subordinates or superiors.
Quite often, when we suggest to executive leaders that they consider setting aside a brief period of time each day to “simply be,” to meditate and become present in the moment, their standard retort is that they lack the time or energy.
In many cases, what they are admitting is that the inner journey is rather frightening or too “feely-touchy.” Truthfully, that inner journey is not frightful but empowering and if feely-touchy means being calm, introspective and relaxed, we are all for it.
In remembering our conversations with the successful executives above, we asked about the “minutes a day” they spent quietly meditating or meditatively working at their crafts were precious to them. It allowed space in the day to work out ideas, or people issues or plan and create.
No matter who we are or where we work or where we live, we have the choice to be present and responsive or to shut down and react. There are no secret solution to all of life’s executive leadership problems but there is no secret in learning how to be more present in the moment.
Take the time to rake your garden, no matter how that garden is defined.