Never Turning It Off: The Art of Consistent Leadership and Emotional Mastery

Adaptability. Resilience. Excellence. Analyzing the cornerstones of effective leadership, these principles represent the core virtues I admire most in leaders and successful individuals. This realization crystallized in a conversation between Michael Schill , Shankar Poncelet and Shanee Moret . One part of their dialogue honed in on the concept of "never turning it off" - the essence of consistency.

In leadership, it's a lifelong journey of self-mastery, emotional regulation, and upholding excellence, and not just professionally but personally too. Leaders who maintain purpose, emotional stability, and unwavering standards regardless of circumstances embody the qualities we as humans revere. But what makes them true masters of this art? They never turn it off, even after hours, weekends or holidays. Imagine your favorite artist "turning if off!" You wouldn't know who they were.

Excellence becomes an integral part of their identity, not just a work persona. This means being thoughtful about media consumption, nutrition, relationships and rest. Shankar and I have internalized the "never turn it off" mindset as an ingrained way of being, rather than a situational tool and we are comfortable working in between sight-seeing (hence the backpacks). We see it as a privilege and a beautiful thing.

During my week-long stay so far in the Netherlands with Shankar Poncelet, I find myself in the wet and rainy weather. But the low temperatures don't bother me, nor does the incessant rain dampen my motivation or spirits. Could this be reflective of a newfound resilience? Perhaps a paradigm shift fueled by intentional preparation and a growth mindset?

I attribute this evolved perspective to my commitment to consistent emotional self-regulation. Mastering your emotional responses to external factors play a role in your internal factors, ensuring they don’t derail you from your leadership path or personal goals. Being in the Netherlands wasn't just a geographic shift; it was a look into our practice of consistency. Working alongside Shankar, a like-minded peer committed to self-mastery, made the practice of consistency less crazy. Like every journey, having a supportive network helps you keep the focus on your goals, regardless of the circumstances.

This lesson regarding emotional resilience is universally applicable. Challenges will arise in any context - as an executive, parent, partner, coach, or friend. With the right mindset and skills, you can minimize reactivity and access resourceful states. This ability to self-regulate and exercise "responsive leadership" is what separates good leaders from great ones.

Cultivating these skills requires first and foremost coming from a place of compassion and self-acceptance, rather than criticism. The journey is about progress, not perfection. When you inevitably become triggered or emotionally reactive, treat it as valuable data, not as a personal failing. Reflect on what specifically caused the reaction, and implement supportive practices like mindfulness, exercise, connection, and renewal to enhance regulation. Growth occurs gradually with consistent practice.

What sleep expert, Matthew Walker, has taught me about sleep also applies to the consistency of your mindfulness. He stresses you should keep your sleep schedule, even on the weekends. In fact, it's more imporant than how much sleep you get! Similarly, a strong work ethic and emotional regulation needs to be maintained even during downtime. It's about upholding standards of excellence as an integral part of your identity, not just a catchy phrase; it embodies a lifestyle, a commitment to continual self-mastery and emotional intelligence, and a promise to uphold excellence in both personal and professional realms. Your team and loved ones deserve a version of you operating at your best. By living aligned with your core values, modeling vulnerability and growth, and exuding emotional stability, you foster trust and lead by example.

Like the rain, external conditions will come and go. However, grounding myself in my values and prioritizing self-care, means I can continue operating at my best regardless of the circumstances. The weather may be out of my control at times, but my emotional state is not. This mentality is enabling me to show up as a more authentic, empathic, and responsive leader.

Cultivating Consistency in Leadership: The 4 Pillars

Implementing the mantra of “never turning it off” requires a multipronged approach consisting of several core pillars:

Intentional mindfulness. This starts with developing self-awareness and getting to know your emotional patterns, triggers, and reactions. Cultivate presence through techniques like breathwork, meditation, and daily reflection. Create space between stimulus and response.

Healthy supporting habits. Prioritize proper sleep, nutrition, movement, and work-life balance. Seek rejuvenating activities and human connection. Be proactive with stress management. Prevent emotional reactivity by meeting your basic needs.

Growth-oriented mindset. View challenges as learning opportunities, not personal failings. Adopt a curious “student of life” mentality, embracing mistakes and feedback. Exercise self-compassion and detach from perfectionism. Reframe setbacks positively.

Continuous learning. Commit to lifelong development. Seek knowledge, training and coaching around emotional intelligence, psychology, and leadership skills. Read books, listen to podcasts, attend seminars. Stay humble and open.

With dedication and practice across these pillars, the continuity of leadership excellence becomes second nature rather than a situational adjustment. It’s about shifting your entire mindset and lifestyle to embody your highest values.

The Path Towards Emotional Mastery

What does it mean to “master” your emotions as a leader? Firstly, it’s essential to note this is about progress over perfection. Emotions themselves are not “bad”, but rather information signaling some need. The key is building awareness and responding thoughtfully.

Emotional mastery includes:

• Noticing inner experiences with curiosity rather than judgment
• Cultivating presence and body awareness
• Developing “response flexibility” and delaying impulsiveness
• Communicating feelings and needs constructively
• Exhibiting resilience by resetting after setbacks
• Practicing unconditional self-acceptance and compassion

Getting comfortable feeling discomfort is crucial. Growth lives outside the comfort zone. By approaching unpleasant emotions with openness rather than avoidance, you build distress tolerance and thrive during challenges.

Susan David, Ph.D. ’s concept of “emotional agility” offers a helpful roadmap here. It involves:

• Accepting emotions without exaggerating or suppressing them
• Reflecting on their value rather than letting them rule you
• Choosing openness over fear in difficult conversations

With emotional agility, you can acknowledge feelings, parse the wisdom within them, and act in alignment with your goals and values.

The Strength of Supportive Leadership

A consistent mindset requires supportive leadership habits. Beyond self-development, you must nurture psychological safety on your team.

• Model authenticity. Share your humanity, mistakes, and growth.
• Actively listen without judgment when people express concerns or emotions.
• Promote work-life balance through flexible policies and leading by example.
• Check in regularly at a personal level. Prioritize relationship building.

With empathy, vulnerability and compassion as the foundation, people feel safe to bring their whole selves to work. They will go the extra mile for leaders who sincerely care. Establish trust and lead with heart.

In closing, upholding excellence as a leader and human is no easy feat but incredibly fulfilling. By evolving your mindset, building emotional intelligence, and fostering supportive conditions, the continuity you seek is within reach. With resilience, adaptability, and unwavering standards as the cornerstones, the path towards consistent leadership is not just an attainable goal but a rewarding endeavor.

Stay focused on growth over perfection, lead from the heart, and commit to lifelong learning.

You’ve got this! The journey requires discipline but pays continuous dividends.

Mindfully,

- Antréa Ferguson, MSPH

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