What we’re thinking
Are you chasing your sticks one at a time?
I’d like to introduce you to Bella, our 2-year old labrador. Adorable Bella. Most of the time… Definitely a dog! And in many ways she encapsulates the spirit of the current 02 advertising campaign here in the UK – ‘be more dog’. She’s curious, active, excited, spontaneous, and totally uninhibited – happiest chasing her sticks, so not quite embracing new technologies as 02 wish us to do, but definitely making the most of the present. Totally focused. Focused on what she is doing in that precise moment. Nothing is going to stop her chasing, finding and bringing back her stick. Ears pricked, eyes focused, every muscle ready to go – as seen in this video from our walk together yesterday.
And I don’t know about you, but I find having that total focus is often easier said than done. Curiosity sometimes gets replaced by long ‘to-do’ lists. Spontaneity defers to the plan, what should happen rather than what could happen. Lots of distractions at work, at home, at play, emails, telephone calls, texts, WhatsApp messages…the list is endless. I’m trying to chase too many sticks at the same time… And researchers at Stanford University tell us that far from being a strength, this kind of multi-tasking is less productive than doing one thing at a time. When we are flooded with various forms of electronic information we don’t give our full attention, can’t recall information, or move from one task to another as well as those who complete one task at a time. Our concentration is weaker. We are inefficient. Our performance suffers.
As we know from the world of sports, when we are in the zone, in the moment, nothing distracts us. It feels great! And I for one, would like to be in the zone more often so that I am fully focused and getting my best performance.
So, join me in my challenge of removing distractions, closing down inboxes, switching off phones, giving full attention to conversations. Being more curious, active, excited, spontaneous, and uninhibited. Chasing and finding our sticks. One at a time!
Be more dog. Be more Bella.
Andrew Bidnell is a professional certified coach and an experienced consultant who founded InsideOut Consulting in 2006. The focus is on leadership and communication and, in particular, the challenge of engagement – of self and of others – to achieve maximum impact and fulfillment. He has worked internationally with 1,000+ leaders in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, always seeking to facilitate, challenge, support and unlock potential that lies inside an individual, a community, an organisation, and bring that strength, passion and knowledge out for maximum impact.