Taking a moment to breathe and refocus improves how you show up.
Story: Racing from call to call
I’m pretty sure you’ve been there. You look ahead to your day, and your calendar is filled with back-to-back meetings. You realize there’s little, if any, time to clear your head before you dive into another meeting with a team where your expertise is critical.
When this exact thing happened, I knew something had to give!
Those are the words of a Chief Technology Officer who shared what happened to her last month.
I wasn’t paying attention to my schedule and logged into a deep dive engineering meeting that required my detailed observation. Seriously, I went blank! Fortunately, my admin recognized what was happening and jumped in with some clarifying statements after he’d Slacked me with the agenda that, somehow, I had missed.
Maybe you’ve tried hacks: starting meetings 5 minutes late, declining meetings where you don’t add value, or setting up 15-minute breaks between meetings. But sometimes you still miss all the warning signs.
When you race from call to call, your team doesn’t get the ‘you’ they need: someone who’s prepared, able to offer insights, and ready to steer direction.
So how can you show up to each meeting as it’s your first conversation of the day?
Interval: Choose one word between meetings
One word? I know it may sound a bit ridiculous. But I’m finding that being intentional is the key. Here’s what I check now before I start my day AND between sessions or meetings.
If my word is ‘align’:
- Agenda – go over the top three points that will be the focus.
- Goal – refresh why you’re attending and how you add value.
- Talking points – make sure your expertise is ready to be shared.
If my word is ‘present’:
- Review slides – if you’re short on time, review the first and last slides.
- Verify data – has any new data come through that you need to change?
- Technical run through – check your mic, camera and screen-share.
If my word is ‘reset’:
- Breathe.
- Ground yourself.
- Pause.
All of this can be accomplished in 2 – 5 minutes. When you do, there’s a strong chance you’ll arrive at your next meeting as if it’s your first solid interaction of the day.
Reflection:
How did that key word change the way I listened or spoke?
As you go through your calendar, notice those places where you’re unsure how you’ll be showing up. Use this interval to choose a key word and see how it improves your ability to connect.
