For some of you who do not know yet, I have been working on my upcoming book High Performance Alchemy for a year now and have been interviewing some Top C Level Executives across India to know their insights as to what they are doing differently than others to become successful.
Even though each one of you who is reading this blog article are successful in your own way what in my honest opinion separates these High performing executives who are managing large Teams across the globe is disciplined existence which fosters an ability to accomplish great things.
Sharing some of their habits which some of them have been practicing over the years and have helped them to get to their present level. Each one of you can hit the ground running by incorporating the habits which does makes sense to you. So here it goes
Be Miserly In Your Emotional Energy
Each one of us do have limited energy and if you end up spending that on unimportant tasks, then you will not have any energy left for bigger tasks. One of the CEOs of a Fortune 100 Company did share with me that “he does reserve most of his emotional energy for the most important strategic decisions he does take couple of times a day.
So, if you are thinking too much on small things, then I will guarantee you that by the time you reach the bigger things during the day you will be zapped out of energy to give your best. So, focus on conserving your own energy by not thinking too much on small things.
One thing which does come to my mind is “Mark Zuckerberg” who does wear the same color T-shirt most of the days so that he does not need to think too much on unimportant tasks. For people who make significant decisions every day, the removal of even one—choosing clothes in the morning—leaves them with more emotional space and better productivity throughout the day.
Recent research suggests that you need to think more strategically about how the time of day affects your decisions and performance. This article is a good reference.
Focus On Your Own Thoughts
When you tend to spend some time alone then you are giving yourself space to think through situations and opportunities. This one habit has helped me immensely and I have been diligently working on focusing on my own thoughts at least couple of times a day.
Since I almost do swim each day, it has become a ritual for me to just focus on my thoughts when I am in the water. This does give me an added benefit of cardio exercise also. Running is another activity which also helps some to get into a meditative trance.
However, some of the Highest performing executives do swear by this one habit and they look forward to unplug from the constant information which is flowing towards them and for any human being which can be overwhelming at times. Focusing on your own thoughts does give you an opportunity to strengthen your emotional muscle.
Write Physically
Are you aware that physically writing down things on a paper does activate the parts of the brain which otherwise is never used? Well, this is one of the key reasons why some of the High-performance executives use the old paper and pen to put in their thoughts. I have been a big advocate of using a pen/pencil and paper.
If you do happen to see my workstation there are always sheets of paper with my thoughts running all over them. What this has done to me is that – I first tend to put my thoughts on the paper and then build on these thoughts on my laptop.
Again, not using the pen and paper is not old school. You can use a digital pen though which I suppose serves the same purpose. It is also eco-friendlier. I am yet to shift to one. You can refer this brilliant article by Carl Zimmer on impact on the brain from writing
Read To Learn And Grow
Every one of the C level executives whom I have interviewed sweared by reading and even though some of them did have 15-16 hrs. work day, they never did wind up their evening without reading at least for couple of minutes before retiring.
If you are someone who have never read a book or something about your domain in the last couple of months, then it’s just about time to inculcate this powerful habit. For me personally, reading is inspiring and helps me align my own thought process in a specific direction.
If you are saying that you do not have any time to read, it is like giving an excuse of “the dog ate my homework”. This small article by Andrew Merle might just nudge you towards reading more
Create A Work-Free Zone
Most of the high-performance executives had one clear message when it came to work and personal space. They had ensured over the years never to mix both and I remember one of them saying that “Satish! I leave everything outside the bedroom when I retire for the night”. This includes his electronic gadgets and his work-related thoughts.
Now, this got me thinking as to how wonderful it would be if each one of us can follow this logic of leaving our work-related thoughts outside the bedroom door. Well it is very much possible and I have personally helped many of my own clients over the years by working towards conditioning the mind.
Our mind is so flexible that if you spend some time training the reaction to a stimulus it picks on it and moves on to an autopilot mode. The difficult part is to train the mind, which is a different topic all together.
Your Commute Time Is Gold
Since Commuting on the Indian Roads is already stressful, it is imperative that this time is used in doing the most productive thing which according to couple of C level executives is the best thing to do. In fact, one of the executive did share that he listens to business books and anything which inspires him to come up with great ideas at work and on the way back he switches his list to something more meaningful in life through audio books.
I am personally a big fan of audio books and over the last couple of months have been listening to an audio program which has given me some incredible insights on how to run my own business and take it to the next level. The reason most prefer to listening to these books is that it also does allow them to also catch up on a few winks while they are being driven.
This habit is one of the most empowering ones you could inculcate from today and with a little practice and commitment you will be thanking yourself in no time.
Be Ready To Role Up Your Sleeves
Leading teams from the glass cabin is something which most of them are good at. However, what separates the good from the great ones is that they are ready to step in with their team and ready to role up the sleeves.
By this sheer attitude one C level executive did say that it does help her to approach her workforce from the same level and she did say that over the years she has come up with some great insights which otherwise would never have reached her with all the filters in-between.
When you show a person that you are on the same plane as them, it is bound to immediately build a rapport which does help in opening more honest communication channels.
If you are reading this and operating from the glass cabin, then do yourself a favor, step out today, roll up your sleeves and get to know the people who are working with you from the same plane. I will guarantee you that this will have a very positive impact.
You can refer my previous Blog What makes a true Leader to help you move in the right direction
However, if you do feel that you just need to speak to me then, do not think twice. I will be happy to speak to you on a
One on One No Obligation Strategy Call
Here we can discuss personally as to what your Goals are and How I can help you to get there. I only have a few slots left for this month since I only work with a limited no. of clients nowadays.
Here, we can discuss personally as to what your Goals are and how we both can team up to work on your goals. In this call, you will be able to
- Identity the area of your challenge
- Get a new perspective on your Goals & Vision.
- Get a clear road map to achieve your professional goals.
If you are an executive in an organization and are looking at “Employee Transformation” then you will be glad to hear that I do “Strategic Intervention” personally for your core team. By the end of this intervention your team will be able to
1.Work on their Stretched Goals with absolute clarity and focus
2.Double or even triple their productivity, by developing laser-like focus
3.Create a clear road-map in their own Goal Setting Journey.
You can see how our Strategic Interventions can help your core team to perform at their best by clicking on
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One of my team members will be happy to reach out to you and discuss about these “Strategic Interventions”.
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