A note before we start.

If you are new to this mailing list - welcome! You can find past editions of these e-letters on the Practical Guidance page of the website including how to savour joy, be kind to yourself and find resilience in the world of school leadership. But for now, let’s turn to today…

In every seemingly ordinary moment
a profound depth and beauty awaits discovery.

Eckhart Tolle: The Art of Presence

The summer holiday is in touching distance.

Following this spell of warm weather, so many leaders and teachers I have spoken to this week ruefully glance at the sun outside the window saying – “it feels almost like summer but…”. They know that, as the holiday beckons, so the world speeds up, the to-do lists get longer, loose ends get looser and we are in plate spinning mode once again.

In the most recent guest blog headteacher Simon Morley talks about a habit he has cultivated over his time as a leader. He was able to do several things at once; sitting in a meeting, glancing at his phone, planning his next meeting, jotting reminders in the margins of the papers in front of him. This had become the norm for him and as a result he wasn't very effective or efficient. Sound familiar?

It's a very common trait leaders can fall into. Robert Poynton describes this as a state of “continuous partial attention”, when we are rarely still and never fully 'present. We could be having a conversation but actually be thinking about our next response, or even the meeting we are on our way to, falling into a ‘default’, distracted, over busy mode of leading, barely there for ourselves or others.

This expectation to be busy and ‘always on’ runs deep in our culture - we all know of leaders who wear it as a badge of pride. But it comes at a cost. It is erosive of our wellbeing, limits our leadership effectiveness and leaves us depleted as humans.

How Mindfulness can help.

Mindfulness helps us to be aware when we slip into this habit of ‘plate spinning’, or ‘partial attention’. Instead, it offers the the opportunity to be actively present, tuning our senses to whatever moment we find ourselves in, to know how that feels and how to cultivate it. In the words of Richard Boyatsiz; “we are resonant as leaders”.

As Simon describes in his blog, he deliberately set his intention to be present at the start of the morning, standing at the school gate as the children arrive. Previously he would have gone through the motions greeting the children, whilst distracted by the day ahead, thinking about what needed to be done. He now intentionally looks each child in the eye as they arrive and greets them; engaging with their excitement about starting the school day. A simple, but powerful act.

The lovely thing about the cultivation of presence is we already know it – we just get distracted and we forget. Those who work in early years know this – just watch a small child exploring something for the first time, totally absorbed, totally present and in the moment, to see how inherent this is in all of us.

So, in cultivating presence we don't need to learn anything new, just re-discover what we already know. It is an act of remembering. Remembering to be in the present moment. To deliberately choose to practice it.

Why not try one of the below practices as those plates start to get out of control and see what happens?

A note on this practices. These are very simply an opportunity for you to try a practice and see what happens without expectation. Self judgment and doubt may arise in thoughts such as “am I doing this right?” or “I am not sure this is for me”. Notice these thoughts and, as best you can, be curious, be kind to yourself and let them go!

One action, one moment, one place

Be fully present for one simple action 

Do one thing each day wholly present. Choose a simple everyday action, brushing your teeth climbing the stairs, drinking a coffee and choose to do nothing else than this one action.

Bring your attention to your senses, smell, taste, touch, movement and savour every micro moment of that action. Stay attuned to your thoughts and how they pull on our attentiveness of this present moment to distract us. Notice when that happens and as best you can, come back to completing that action you have chosen. 

Choose one leadership moment and practice presence

Maybe the start of a meeting with your team is a good opportunity to practice? Deliberately sit in a way that radiates presence; upright, feet on the floor, gaze steady.

Savour the room, the faces of your colleagues and pause - breathe, smile and start the meeting. That micro pause, your collective gaze will gather the group, settle the room and bring a sense of calm.

Create your own place of presence

For many of us walking in nature has been a great solace over the last few weeks. What a comfort it is when navigating our way to see a map with a red arrow pointing saying ‘you are here’.  Can our school environment offer us that same arrow?

Choose your ‘red arrow’ place in school. Somewhere you pass by frequently. It's a reminder to check in with yourself each time you do and stop, asking ‘Am I fully present in this moment or bodily here but mentally somewhere else?’, then ground yourself with both feet firmly on the floor, breathe, check in with your thoughts. Let your mind settle and your body go still, open up your sense to what is going on right now. Then carry on. 

There is time for everything.

Robert Poynton’s favourite strategy is to say to himself - there is time for everything. He finds that this punctuates his stream of anxious thoughts and reminds him that the sharp sense of urgency to get on and do something is exactly that – a feeling in him, not necessarily reality.

Saying it helps to calm him and helps him to come into the present moment.

If you have time to go further why not read Simon’s short blog? In it he explains how becoming more present in his daily work has positively impacted his leadership and his school.

A poem to leave you with

Want to develop your leadership practice further?

Ease into the summer with the Summer Series, free, online, drop-in sessions designed to restore and renew you this summer term. A unique opportunity to spend a few hours cultivating resilience and composure in your leadership whilst helping you to fully ‘let go’ during the summer holiday. 

You can attend one or multiple sessions, the next session takes place Monday 28th June, 4pm. Find out more and sign up by clicking below.

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Maggie
maggie@maggiefarrar.co.uk