Many of us have outside interests and hobbies we enjoy doing. For me it is exercise and golf. For you, it may be gardening, cooking, reading, taking photos, traveling, playing games or doing cross word puzzles. No matter what it is, spending time on something you enjoy and getting away from the daily grind of work can be energizing both mentally and physically and help you to be a stronger and more effective leader.
Take Chris for example. He is CEO of a non profit and his job requires extensive travel and long days. Every Saturday without fail he is playing chess with a group of men at one of their homes. I spoke to him about it and he shared with me that he loves playing chess not only for the social aspect of the game, but he loves the competition and the strategy of the game. The strategic element of the game helps him at work since he needs to be thinking ahead of what his next move will be. Chess requires you to be thinking several steps ahead of what your competitor’s next move will be. It is the same for business. Seeing the landscape, anticipating how your competitor will act, what the market reaction will be, helps leaders see what is possible and helps them to proactively manage and lead through whatever comes their way.
Michelle is an executive at one of the most respected public relations firm. She manages the largest client and the demands are great. She stays on top of her leadership game by staying grounded to her beliefs and values by starting each day in solitude and reading scripture and asking for divine presence throughout the day. She told me during one of our one on one sessions that this daily routine helps her to be more grounded and centered as a person. She said this important time enables her to be her authentic self at home and at work. People flock to leaders who are grounded in their values and demonstrate real authenticity.
Steve is President of one of the largest security protection companies. Steve loves to play golf. It helps him to unwind and relax. He shared with me one of the reasons he plays the game is the ethical component of the game. What other sport do you call a penalty on yourself if you violate one of its rules? One of golf’s rules is to play the ball where it lies. Steve told me during one round he found his ball in a divot after his tee shot. His playing partners were located on the other side of the fairway. It would have been easy for him to move the ball out of the divot to give himself a better chance of hitting the ball cleanly; a clear advantage for him over his playing competitors. But Steve knew that was violating a rule and he did not want to compromise his integrity and love of the game. The same behavior shows up at work when Steve is facing a difficult challenge or situation.
Hobbies are fun and can help you get away from the daily stresses of work. Hobbies and daily practices ground us, re-energize us mentally and physically, test our character and help us to strengthen leader skills and competencies.
What are your hobbies and how do they help your leadership?