Using Perma Leadership to carve a path out of the overwhelm
By Bronwyn Wolfgang
As Coronavirus quickly spread through the world at the start of 2020, our collective adrenaline level rose to meet the acute crisis. This enabled the rapid adoption of new technology and new ways of working. We quickly shifted into remote working. People around the globe adapted to this new way of working in a matter of weeks and delivered. They did so while also managing the remote learning of their children, caring for family and neighbours, dealing with deteriorating mental health, contending with loneliness and grieving for the loss of loved ones, livelihoods, former versions of their lives; and a myriad of other implications the pandemic heaved upon humanity.
Two years on, we are collectively fatigued. While the pandemic seems to be loosening its steely grip on us, somehow, we need to summon the energy to manage the ongoing uncertainty and difficulty that seem to be the new norm. We are facing a climate crisis, a war in Ukraine, rising prices for food, oil, gas, housing, and global political instability. The burden on leaders and their teams feels relentless, especially with depleted energy stores. It can be overwhelming.
Perma Leadership describes a continuous cycle for leaders that leaders can use in many instances: from personal transformation to rethinking corporate strategies. One of those uses is to carve a path out of the overwhelm for themselves and their teams. Instead of requiring more energy from reserves that may be tapped out, it provides a way to shift, energize and move towards a better version of what’s possible.
The cycle of Perma Leadership
Connect and remember: Build embodied, connected leaders capable of leveraging ancient, current and emergent wisdom.
Shift and Reimagine: Explore our rapidly changing worldview through a deep dive into seven key shifts. Reimagine the future we all want and the leadership needed to thrive in a constantly changing environment.
Energize and Inspire: Rekindle and invigorate the energy, stamina and grit for constant transformation leaders need to inspire others to greatness.
Create & Realize: Experiment with the principles and frameworks in real-world applications.
An example of how the cycle of Perma Leadership works: using Perma Leadership to carve a path out of overwhelming.
Connect and Remember
Perma Leadership offers a gentle, clear path out of the dark wood of overwhelm. It starts with Connect and Remember. This may be as simple as taking a walk outside. After two years of being locked in our houses on what felt like a continuous zoom call, simply walking outside can lift the feeling of overwhelming. As we reconnect with nature in this simple way, we reconnect with ourselves. Our heart rate is lowered, and our vision extends beyond the screen two feet away. We realize we are part of something much larger than ourselves. When we regain the perspective that we are part of a whole, part of nature, it can make us feel more connected, increase critical thinking and improve our mood.
This is the primary first step leaders can take to begin to make important changes in how things are done so that they can move themselves and their teams out of overwhelm and into a new way of doing things that the world demands.
Shift and Reimagine
Reconnecting with ourselves and the wider world gives us the chance to pause and gain perspective on our challenges. From this vantage point, we can shift and reimagine how we might solve a particular problem our team is facing. We may be relaxed enough to let our thinking wander, following different paths to a solution — allowing divergent, creative solutions to take shape, uncensored. We may make time to reimagine how to create team cohesion in hybrid and remote teams. What would your perfect day look like? Perfect week? What would it look like if your team had everything needed to be a vibrant, inspired group of people delivering an exceptional product or service?
Perma Leadership outlines seven key shifts to help explore our rapidly changing world and what it requires of us as leaders.
Energize and Inspire
A new vision will energize and inspire, but there are small habits you can use and share with your team that can help maintain the energy needed to keep the necessary grit and stamina to engage with the constant transformation required of organizations today. Perma Leadership draws on the Zen tradition as a source of wisdom. One of the most simple and effective small habits we can borrow from Zen teachings is Hara breathing. Hara is a Japanese word that has no equivalent in English. Literally translated, it refers to the lower abdomen, but its meaning in Japanese goes beyond anatomy to indicate the integration of a person’s physical, psychological and spiritual dimensions. Practising Hara breathing helps people to enter a deep state of relaxed concentration. This is a small habit you could incorporate at any point in your day to reground yourself when overwhelm has the upper hand.
The important thing in unlocking the power of this habit is to let it change you. Make room for the new vision you have to be to take shape. How would your priorities shift? What are small changes you could make towards that vision? Which resources do you need to gather to start moving towards your new vision, and who do you want to bring along on the journey? Let these questions percolate as you begin to make your way out of overwhelm and find a better rhythm.
Create and Realize
Once we have gone through the first three stages of the cycle, moving forward should feel different than it has in the past when you may have used the brute force of pushing through. Things are easier when we’re energized, attuned and focused on what we want to create rather than focusing solely on conquering the problems we see before us. By noticing the moment-to-moment opportunities to create what we want, we may start to get a handle on situations that seemed impossible before taking these steps.
Could you start to use these four simple Perma Leadership steps to begin to gently lift yourself and your team out of a collective state of overwhelm? What is the next thing you need to achieve, and how can you use Perma Leadership tools to connect, replenish energy and reimagine where you need to go and how you could get there?
To learn more about Perma Leadership and what it can do for you and your organization, visit: www.permaleadership.com.
