Constricting Versus Restricting: The Power of Flexibility

The Yoga Teacher in me has been dealing a lot lately with the concept and principles around constricting, as opposed to releasing, in the body. Since we know the mind-body connection, we also know they work together as mirrors and imitate one another. If we are physically constricting (tense, holding, gripping, and inflexibility) our mind follows suit and it closes us off. If our body is releasing (spontaneous, flexible, fluid, and moving) our mind tends to open up.

As a business leader, I am curious about observing where in my role as an owner, leader, teacher, and manager, I constrict and where I release. What are the things that I want to hold on to and what am I willing to be adaptable to? Similarly, what are those things I may unconsciously be holding on or conversely, resisting? How does my intuition, creativity and visioning operate when under control versus freedom? I also have to look outside of myself and find out what the impact is on my staff and team’s effectiveness when I am open versus when I am closed? How do I grow and not suffocate my growth, my team’s and my company’s growth when I am flexible versus inflexible?

These are questions every leader should be exploring. They require a good deal of self-awareness and personal examination, but the rewards are measurable. Leaders who make decisions from a place of awareness and focus have a greater chance of seeing the outcomes succeed – and with minimal disruptions. This is because they have taken the time to step outside of themselves, to create space around their thoughts and not move unconsciously from one emotion to the next.

Below are some traits that have been identified as some of the significant behaviors leaders must have to be successful. These traits mirror principals in yoga in creating balance.

Five leadership traits that balance constricting and releasing

1. Empathy

Warren Bennis (the father of leadership) says that the real enemy to leadership is apathy. It would be difficult to be empathetic without understanding or practicing releasing. The ability to understand another’s emotions without joining them in their experience is compassion. And compassion is necessary is we are to successfully serve others – an absolute if we are to thrive in today’s global economy.

2. Self-awareness

This includes an awareness of the business environment. A self-aware business leader will be able to see distractors for what they are and keep focused on the business goal. This can only be accomplished through a high-level of self-awareness, which includes understanding our own strengths and weakness.

3. Self-regulation

The ability to regulate ones emotions is crucial to the successful leader. No one wants to tip-toe around a volatile leader, wondering what will trigger an explosion. A leader must be able to control their emotions, during stressful times, as well as pleasant times. Self-regulation leads way to consistency – the cornerstone of a good leader.

4. Non –attachment

This is always an interesting practice as a leader because we obviously have some attachment to the goals and responsibilities of our job in order to succeed and meet expectations. However, truth is there are often times that we can let go of total control of the process and make sure we are not strangling the team in a way that allows us to not be attached to specific ways of doing and thinking. We can check ourselves to know we are not stifling creativity, new process and individual self-growth of the team.

5. Surrender

The art of letting go. Of realizing that despite all of our need and desire to plan, boss, delegate spreadsheet, reign it in and CONTROL, that there is a force at work greater than just our plotting and planning that will flow through and around us and our plans. Leadership is about recognizing when life brings other options, detours, changes and previously unseen opportunities and smartly letting go, adapting and being flexible for even greater possibilities then we had dreamed possible!

The ability to remain flexible is key in developing strong leadership, as well as maintaining a healthy daily practice. Doc Childre, founder of the Heartmath Institute, has this to say about flexibility:

Flexibility and adaptability do not happen just by reacting fast to new information. They arise from mental and emotional balance, the lack of attachment to specific outcomes, and putting care for self and others as a prime operating principle. Flexible attitudes build flexible physiology. Flexible physiology means more resilience in times of challenge or strain. Staying open—emotionally—insures internal flexibility.

As a leader, ask yourself if you are constricting or releasing. Pay attention to your body and your thoughts as you make decisions throughout the day. You may be surprised to discover how your decisions are influenced by your ability to release or constrict.