Experiential Learning: An Elixir to Enhance your Leadership Personae

“Suba, have you read Louise Hay’s Heal your life? It is time you do that,” asked a friend. We were talking over the phone. This conversation happened a few years ago.

I was going through a roller coaster ride with my health. We had frequent hospitalizations and many nights knocking on the other doors to leave the infant as we had to rush to ER; I felt like being hit from 360 degrees. Not only physical, but also the episodes were emotionally draining. It was often a feeling of ‘burdening’ everyone around…family, friends, and well-wishers.

That’s when my friend introduced me to Louise Hay. I immediately got a copy and started reading.

That moment….changed many things in my life….

Louise Hay beautifully weaves emotions, their impact on specific organs in our body, and the related affirmations which can help us heal from the inside. That’s the day I prioritized focusing on my emotions and feelings whenever any physical pain popped up.

Observing my emotions helped me understand my thoughts, mindset, and dialogues that were happening with myself. Reflecting on how I connected with the pain, cure, and healing revealed many hidden facts.

Paulo Coelho's words came true. The minute I was ready to heal completely, Universe conspired to help me by showing books, people, and experts that I was continuing the healing journey.

One need not go through significant trauma to work on emotions or inner healing. The pain threshold is different for different people. Understanding 'what is your limit?' is critical to growing your professional journey.

I am sure you call someone from your personal or professional life 'toxic.' You know what? They need focused attention and support. Many are known as 'Toxic' because they are wounded and need to give time, energy, and effort to healing.

So, emotions & feelings.....what is the connection with the leadership journey here? Here are a few lessons from my journey.

Accountability: ‘I’ become my first accountability partner toward a holistic healthier journey. ‘I’ - the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual parts together. As I relied on allopathy or natural medicines at different times, I continued to work on understanding various emotions and their impact on my life and implemented the lessons in my entrepreneurial journey. #contextualintelligence

?Actively shaped the way I worked

?Brought in fresher perspectives that helped standardize many processes

?Stopped making excuses in the areas that needed better focus - energy rightly spent

? LEARNT TO SEEK HELP (let me tell you, it is an art that needs extra effort)

Stakeholder Management: Accountability for my health, mindset, behavior, and communication helped strengthen stakeholder relationships. It is not just ‘my’ life but the other stakeholders involved. There are family, friends, clients, and vendors with Pandemicpendency, and I took accountability for my role in their lives.

? Set the expectation right from the time we start working together

? Set the proper boundaries that helped to bond better

? Built an ability to handle challenging stakeholders with my head held high. (again, let me tell you. Seeking help is my savior)

? LEARNT TO LET GO

Critical Decision-Making: Conversing with a fellow coach a few years back made me realize something. Whenever a significant change Pandemic in my personal life, I made some critical business decisions. I decided to register my company while recovering from surgery. I spent my bedrest time attending many courses and studying sales, marketing, and business management materials. The minute I started recovering, I spoke and attended workshops and networking events where I got to apply what I learned. I started focusing more on marketing, branding, and sales. When the business hit ‘low’ in the initial weeks of the Pandemic, I started investing considerable money in upskilling my coaching journey. Now, I am, multiple times, more affluent in the knowledge and people in my life. I am a part of unique communities and incredible clients. ROI need not be ‘money’ all the time.

★ Mind shift to make suitable investments with better clarity on ROI

★ Highentened risk-taking quotient

★ Enhanced my behavior with a Growth Mindset at a different level

?LEARNT TO EMBRACE FAILURE WITH A FRESH LENS

For you, my dear leader:

The Pandemic has made you a filler in the sandwich. Yet, amidst handling your crisis, you are also managing others and organizational crises.

Have you taken time to understand the dominating emotion guiding or misguiding you?

Have you given enough respect to your feelings?

Emotions and feelings do not discriminate against gender, ethnicity, religion, or culture. Reflecting on what you have read here is very important for your growth - Suba Lakshminarasimhan

Understanding your feelings and respecting your emotions lead to a #selfaware state. ‘#ExperientialLearning’ is the best way to utilize these to your advantage.

Recognize and own up to the part of what is happening around you.

How easy or challenging is it?

How about connecting over a call to discuss this?

To enhance your leadership growth journey and engage in your Executive Leadership?#teamengagement?programs, write to me: at [email protected].

Subscribe to our Bi-Weekly Newsletter. More stories, intriguing experiences along with learnings are coming up.

Do you want me to cover any specific leadership challenges in our newsletter? Do let me know.

#psychologicalsafety?#stakeholdercommunication?#workplaceconflictmanagment?#emotionalmanagement?#mindfulness #decisionmaking #Accountability