Are you a glass half-full or glass half-empty type of leader? I can tell you for sure that I lean toward the latter and must work hard to pause, see, and reflect on what’s working, what’s beautiful, what’s meaningful, and what’s possible in every situation.
Which way do you lean? Unsure? Try this self-observation exercise – notice the amount of time you invest in each of the following mental activities:
Savoring: Consciously noticing, appreciating, and reflecting on positive experiences – past, present, and future. Savoring is often accompanied by feelings of joy, confidence, and calm.
Rumination: Fixating on and replaying negative experiences, self-criticism, and worries about the future. Rumination can lead to feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, and shame.
Savoring and rumination are two sides of the same mental-emotional coin. Both involve a repetitive mental activity. But the focus, emotional tone, and impact of each are very different.
The implications of this dichotomy are significant, especially if you are a leader. Leaders who ruminate experience reduced confidence, difficulty focusing, and impaired judgment. Leaders who regularly engage in savoring have higher levels of motivation, increased resilience, and more confidence in decision-making.
How do these two patterns impact the people around you? If you are a leader who chronically ruminates, those you lead are likely to have lower morale, higher levels of stress and negativity, and are more guarded in their communication. If you are a leader who engages in the mental practice of savoring, your team members experience greater psychological safety, growth, and optimism.
It’s important to mention that humans are wired for rumination. So, you are not flawed or broken if you tend to be someone who ruminates. Rumination is fueled by the brain’s negativity bias, which makes us more likely to focus on and replay negative experiences (past and anticipated) over positive ones. This bias amplifies perceived threats and mistakes, making it harder to shift our attention toward possibility or growth.
Now that you know the characteristics of these mental patterns and why you should care, you may be wondering what you can do to ruminate less and savor more. That’s the topic of part 2, coming in early July… Stay tuned!
Image Credit: Manu Schwendener on Unsplash