Let Your Presence Work for You

This morning, as I was collecting my snacks for the day from the fruit bowl I was drawn into a conversation with two of my team mates.  They were talking about the nuggets of wisdom that are attached to the Yogi teabags that they use.

The message on today’s teabag was “Let your presence work for you” and they asked me what i thought it meant.  I said that if we are fully present in everything we do, the effect is much stronger than if not.  And I explained that the present moment is really the only thing we can influence.  The past is finished and done, and the future is yet to happen.  Yet we can focus on the present moment and what we can do right now. And our being present offers a wider spectrum of possibilities than we would be aware of otherwise.

For me, it all sounds pretty easy, but actually it’s quite hard to switch off the contant tapes playing in my head (should have/would have/could have/if only/what if/etc.) and stay in the present moment. It got me thinking about my usual days at work and the steady stream of disruptions and challenges to staying present.  Here are some techniques I use to maintain presence in my daily work:

Self Management and Letting Go

Consciousness shapes reality
Reality shapes consciousness
— Starhawk: Dreaming the Dark

As an agile coach I’m constantly staying attuned to what is happening around me.  What’s the temperature of the team?  Who looks like they’re having a hard time today?  Which pair of developers are doing everything but pairing, why?

What I have learned over the years, working with group energy is that before the group, I need to start with myself and acknowledge and manage my current state of being. What worries am I anticipating and wearing into the office?  What difficult conversation do I need to have and how am I feeling about it?  Am I feeling open to possibilities or closed?  Am I physically tired?  All of these states of being can help or hinder my work with the team.

Second, in my interactions with people and work as a facilitator I need to start grounded and stay grounded.  When I am in meetings where emotions are starting to fly I consciously act to absorb and ground the energy that is moving through the group. My coach taught me a very helpful quick  method called emotional freedom technique (EFT).  I use it whenever i need to get grounded and centered.

The video below provides a detailed explanation of how to perform EFT.

Letting go doesn’t just work in terms of energy.  It also works with fears and expectations — the ‘what-if’s’ and ‘shoulds’.  I shared one example of letting go in this blog post.  By coming back to the present moment and acknowledging what it is i want/need right now and then letting it go, I can stay open to whatever the universe presents to me.

Active Listening

Everyone has a wish to be truly heard and understood.  The effect, when it happens, gives one a feeling of peace and relief.  To do active listening, I the listener, have to suspend all the chatter in my head and just be there for the speaker.  Instead of jumping in with opinions, replies or advice, I just stay present and focused on the speaker and what they are saying.

Sometimes when active listening, it helps to repeat back to the speaker what it is you’re hearing/understanding.  You can say something like: “If i understand you correctly, do you mean to say….”  You can also nod your head to let them know you’re still present and listening.

I use active listening in my 1:1s with the team and in discussions with colleagues.  I usually don’t start with anything but this question: “What should we be talking about right now?”.  The rest is open to whatever topic and trajectory the speaker happens to follow.

Getting Back to My Physical Self

On most days there comes a point where I notice that my consciousness is almost completely focused on what’s happening in my head.  My thoughts and interpretations rule over everything else. To recalibrate my balance of presence i like to get out of my chair and do something physical.

Some of my colleagues and I have started a habit of doing pull-ups, push-ups, wall-sits and ab rolls more or less at the beginning and end of every workday.  The energy shift is palpable when we’re in the makeshift office “gym”. Throughout the day I take mini-breaks to skip rope, play around with the fisio ball or do a few more pull-ups.

After lunch i take a 20-minute siesta outside on the sun lounger.  Recently I’ve been trying to increase my auditory awareness during the siestas.  I try to really listen for all the different layers of sound that are happening at the same time without trying to filter any of the ‘noise’ out.    I find when I do this I feel really energized and refreshed afterwards, as if my senses have gotten a reboot.

So what do all these methods have to do with being agile?

I believe that as long as my work is with human beings and not computers, it is vital that I stay mindful and present to whatever situation may materialize.  With my work I like to think of myself as part conduit (of energy) and part catalyst (of change).  In either case we are talking about fluidity — and to be able to travel and navigate through this fluidity requires awareness and presence.

Further Reading

Dreaming the Dark: Magic, Sex and Politics by Starhawk

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhardt Tolle

The Art of Active Listening: How to Double Your Communication Skills in 30 Days by Josh Gibson

Transform Your Beliefs, Transform Your Life: EFT Tapping Using Matrix Reimprinting by Karl Dawson