Engaging the Moment Makes Better Leaders

As Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist Victor Frankl noted, the space between stimulus and response creates an opportunity to engage the moment in a way that can be transformative. However, engaging the moment is difficult because attention on the task at hand can be drawn away by past experiences, as well as expectations for the future. The ability to engage the moment is developed over time and anchored in competence, character and commitment, which are only developed in everyday moments. These three qualities work together to deliver strong performance, which is realized through the string of present moments. Indeed, for great athletes, the ability to engage the moment is not reserved for grand competitive occasions — it is a habit. Being fully present during everyday moments provides the foundation for tackling the big moments. As this article explains, great athletes and leaders alike understand that fear of failure is a distraction that can cripple performance, which is why they focus on process rather than outcome. It is easy to get rattled under pressure, but trusting one’s preparation helps to ensure commitment to the moment.

• leader character
• transformative leadership
• mindfulness
• IBJ Insights