You’ve heard of megatrends, of VUCA, perhaps even of BANI. When you stop to consider the scale, reach and dramatic impact of the exponential change we experience, what comes up for you? Where might you place yourself on a spectrum from “energized / creative / opportunistic” on one end and “overwhelmed / shut down / afraid” on the other? And where might your colleagues, customers, clients or family members fall on this spectrum?
The demands on our organizations and on leaders is 24/7 in this connected, fast-moving, often-divided world we live in. Our complex environments demand a diverse range of leadership skills, many of which were not required in the past. At Nebo, we often receive requests for leadership coaching and programs that can help people to think, see and act more strategically, and to be more personally sustainable as they rise to meet seemingly insurmountable challenges. Our invitation is always the same: begin great leadership by turning inward. If your gut reaction is, “Sounds nice, but I don’t have time for that,” that instinctive response is usually a sign that slowing down to notice what’s going on within you is just what is needed.
Currently, my marked-up, dog-eared copy of Unleashing Your Complexity Genius, by prominent thought leaders Jennifer Garvey Berger and Carolyn Coughlin, accompanies me everywhere. It’s an accessible, practical guide for leaders and begins with the premise of “the complexity paradox.” The paradox is this: while complexity activates the sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight), what we need most to navigate complexity comes from the parasympathetic nervous system (connect-and-restore).
Our body senses complexity as a threat and responds as it would to any physical threat – by activating the sympathetic nervous system, which has us ready for action – adrenaline rushing, cortisol released, hyper-focused. This state can lead to high-intensity productivity and innovation, and it can be thrilling, even addicting. Yet this same state also makes us incredibly sensitive to anything we perceive as threatening to our safety or to our identity. Our bodies and brains get signals that we are at risk and that we must move – a reflexive phenomenon the authors call the “action urge.”
The scale and scope of the challenges we face today are relentless, keeping our sympathetic nervous systems constantly activated. Many of us are overusing this action-focused operating system and cutting ourselves off from the creativity, connection, and learning that emerges when our parasympathetic nervous system is activated. This complementary system is crucial for navigating complexity because it literally expands our field of vision about ourselves, others and circumstances. As the authors say, “You need all the creativity, agility, pattern-recognition, experimentation and learning you can muster when you’re dealing with complexity.”
To unleash our complexity genius, we need our bodies to be in a much more balanced dance between these two systems. The good news is that with awareness comes choice. If we are aware of how our bodies are hard wired to respond to complexity, we can notice the action urge and choose to intentionally activate our parasympathetic nervous system, rather than simply accepting the reactions that automatically arise. Slowing down to focus on introspection, rest, connection and play may feel uncomfortable or unrealistic at first, but it is a skill leaders must cultivate in order to survive and thrive in the 21st century.
The book offers several “nervous system hacks” for inviting the more expansive version of ourselves that can better lead through complexity, the first of which is breathing. At Nebo, we wholeheartedly agree with the authors who contend that “if you want to manage complexity, you must learn to manage your breath.” You can start simply by breathing in to the count of four and out to the count of six, five times. Longer, slower exhales awaken our parasympathetic nervous systems. Check out more breathing exercises for leaders here.
When experiencing anxiety, exhaustion and overwhelm, can you begin to notice the subconscious action urge that arises? Can you pause long enough to breathe and connect to a broader perspective and a deeper sense of purpose and meaning? By honing our ability to see and respond to our nervous system, leaders can more effectively choose to create the conditions for flourishing in an uncertain world.
Contact us if you would like support leading yourself, your team or your organization through complexity from a more centered place.