I was fortunate enough to win a scholarship for a leadership program for leaders in the not-for-profit sector recently. It is only a three-day program over six months, but after the first day I have already realised the impact that this program can potentially have on my performance as a leader. The man who runs the program, Andrew Meilke of Meikle Files Black has researched leadership and elite human performance extensively. He has interviewed thousands of leaders and top performing individuals in their fields, including Nelson Mandela, Carl Lewis, Layne Beachley and Dr Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Laureate. We examined the concept of a “Strong Mind” – what it means, who has it, how to train one. We looked at Elite High Performance. Many things come to mind when I think of what an effective leader looks like: strong, driven, determined, principled, resilient and committed to their values, unwavering. 
There is also one key thing that all effective leaders and high performers share: focus and the ability to stay ON TASK. After thinking about this beyond the day of training, I realise it is central and critical to success. We were introduced to a model – simple, yes, but boy has it stayed with me this week. The model looks like this: Front and centre is the TASK (for example, writing a six month activity plan for your business). It is important to CLEARLY DEFINE the task. Then there are useful related processes or URPs (these are positive activities that bring you closer to completing your task – e.g., getting feedback from others in your business, brainstorming, etc.) and DISTRACTIONS (negative – these are activities that take you AWAY from your task – phone calls, facebooking, other people’s “emergencies” and drama). I am suggesting that EFFECTIVELY MANAGING DISTRACTIONS is the key to being a more effective leader.
There are four techniques one can use to manage distractions:
1. Stamp it out or destroy. Don’t give in. Don’t even acknowledge it or think about it. Like a fire that has started, react quickly by stamping out the flames. Don’t even think about it.
2. Ignore it. “Black box” it. When the distraction is rearing its ugly head, put the concept into the “black box” for later. For example, a marathon runner may have a tag in her top that is rubbing and hurting her. She puts it away (the thought of it) until after the race.
3. Let it in. By acknowledging the distraction you are allowing it to be in the space with you. You don’t have to do anything about it, you are merely aware of it.
4. Use the distraction to keep you on task. Turn it into a useful related process (URP). This tactic is effectively used by former freediving world champion Tanya Streeter. Tanya uses the adrenaline and nerves she feels before a competition to help her move into a quieter state of mind and slows her heart rate down to about 15 beats per minute. You can train your mind to do anything and she has mastered equating nervous energy to pure internal focus. How might you use a distraction to assist in completing a task? The key to mastering distractions is not just a matter of simply ignoring them but choosing the most appropriate method to manage that distraction. It is about being strategic about your potential distractions.
This week I have been very aware of how distractions often win out in my life. The cost of this is that the task doesn’t get completed (or not on time) and I go off track. And ultimately, I don’t achieve what I have set out to do. Then the damaging self-talk comes in, bringing me down, and into playing a smaller game. By reminding myself of this potential undesirable outcome (the price), I am motivated to do better. I will now be focusing on mastering the minimisation of distractions. What techniques work for you? How do you deal with distractions? Now, on to my next task . ;)
