Attention as Leadership currency

Your attention is your Leadership Currency. I hear a lot of talk about time management, but in my experience attention is the real currency. Time is fixed. Attention is chosen. Where your attention goes, your energy follows. And where your energy goes, connection and productivity either strengthens or weakens.

The Fragmented Self

Most Leaders that I see are not exhausted because they lack capacity. They are exhausted because their attention is constantly fragmented.

Notifications - Meetings - Messages - Media - Mental to do lists - External demands

Every interruption pulls them away from presence. And presence is the foundation of connection, and productivity.

When our attention is scattered, oour nervous system remains on alert. Shallow focus becomes the norm. Conversations become transactional. Listening becomes partial.

We might be physically present but cognitively we are elsewhere.

Our wellbeing takes a toll and our productivity is limited.

Distraction Is Not Always Laziness

Often, distraction is avoidance. We scroll instead of sitting with discomfort. We check email instead of having the difficult conversation. We multitask instead of prioritising.

Attention reveals where we place out priorities, but with many of my clients I have noted with them, that it can also reveal where they are feeling fear.

The question is not whether you are distracted. It is what you are distracting yourself from. Any why?

Reclaiming Personal Attention

Attention can be trained, and to this end, small shifts matter:

- Completing a single task at a time or one activity per day
- Creating device free conversations and meetings
- Scheduling deep work blocks where no interruptions are allowed
- Pausing before responding. Taking time

While these are also productivity hacks, first and foremost they are acts of self leadership.

When we reclaim our attention, we reconnect to ourselves. And from that place, connection with others becomes more intentional. Productivity soars.

A Reflection

How did this post make you feel as you were reading it?

Who or what is consistently capturing your attention right now?

Is this aligned with your values and desired outcomes?

Remember, that what you repeatedly attend to shapes who you become. And the legacy you leave.

What one small change can you make to take back your power of attention and self-leadership? I’d love to help you, and your team, so get in touch!