How does being flexible help you become a better leader?
By Claudia Solares
Being flexible helps you become a better leader, live with a more balanced perspective, and have a life that is full of joy and peace.
How do you manage the tension that new ideas, innovation, and change bring? How flexible are you when something unexpected happens?
I must confess that I am not the best at adapting when something in my plans or way of working changes. Just as I like to know what my plans are for the day or week, I also like to know how to carry out my role within a job or project, and sometimes when something unexpected happens, my brain shorts out.
The reality is that everyone is willing to change until something changes. And some of the reasons we don't like to be flexible are that we like our plans, we don't trust people, or we fear the unknown. Does this sound familiar?
Why should we learn to be more flexible? Being more mentally flexible is one of the priority areas in which I constantly try to work both in my personal and professional life. And I have realized that I live happier when I am more flexible!
This is not about being weak or passive. On the contrary, flexibility is a conscious choice, a powerful skill, and a practical approach to the constantly changing and evolving world we live in.
The situations, relationships, and experiences that cause the most stress and frustration are almost always those in which we are not flexible. On the other hand, the more flexible we are, the more peace, ease, and satisfaction we will experience in our lives.
How can we be more flexible?
Accept the things you cannot change: The first step in being more mentally flexible is to accept the things that are beyond your control. When you live rigidly, you are trapped in your head, trying to control everything. Holding onto this sense of control is a false sense of security that causes more frustration.
Let go of your attachment and the way you do things: Letting go of our attachment to something does not mean that we deny our desire or intention. It simply means that we stop controlling every aspect of it.
You must be willing to be wrong: When we are willing to be wrong, we free ourselves and allow ourselves to take risks, try new things, and approach things with a creative, innovative, and flexible perspective.
Don't take things so seriously: When we are able to laugh at ourselves or the situation we are in, we keep things in perspective and remember that most of what we face in daily life is not so serious. This helps us have a more balanced view and enjoy what we experience more.
Focus on the present: Focusing on the present helps us generate flexibility in our behavior, as we can respond more appropriately to situations without overthinking things from the future or past. Mental flexibility brings a lot of peace and joy to our lives. Furthermore, being flexible helps you become a better leader by adapting to the different unexpected events that may affect a project or your work team.
But above all, it will help you have a better perspective and enjoy the process more!