We’re all guilty of rushing through life without sitting back and taking stock of the things that are happening in the present. At work, most have come to accept that being hurried is just the way of things.
We hurry to get to work, hurry to meet deadlines, hurry to get to the main topic in a meeting, hurry to arrive at the point when conversing with colleagues and hurry back home again. But aking an unhurried approach could help us to do better, even in a chaotic workplace or situation.
Being unhurried is particularly vital for learning and growth.
Unhurried isn’t fast or slow
Unhurried doesn’t necessarily mean taking a slower pace. It means maintaining a pace that feels right. Being unhurried requires just as much commitment as being hurried. By improving the way learning and growth flows you can broaden your horizons and unlock opportunities for new ideas. Time and creativity after all go hand in hand.
Being unhurried isn’t just beneficial for the individual. Entire teams will find that having unhurried conversations paves the way for more productive and poignant interactions. With the unhurried approach the wider team can take advantage of every individual’s experience, each of which is as rich and complex as the next. By being unhurried every member of the team has the space to contribute their opinions and experience, without being pushed or pulled in a certain direction.
Connections are made with time
Taking the time to share moments and indulge in a conversation in an unhurried manner creates connections. Connections are what keep teams working cohesively. Organisations like to think that connections are made through looking to the future together. But growth and the connections that make progression possible are made in the present. By being unhurried, your team can make connections that only strengthen with time.
An unhurried leader puts listening first
Traditionally leaders are there to speak to their teams and push them in the right direction. The unhurried approach however puts more emphasis on listening. Listening is a leadership skill, and by utilising this skill you can share the work of listening and speaking with your team. This makes for more productive interactions. Both the team leader and team members can let their minds wander allowing their thoughts to arrive at more imaginative solutions and ideas.
As Forbes describes, effective listening isn’t a special skill – it’s a requirement in the modern day workplace that once mastered unlocks many benefits:
“Listening is a leadership responsibility that does not appear in the job description. Those who do listen to their employees are in a much better position to lead the increasingly diverse and multigenerational workforce. The “one-approach-fits-all” way of thinking has become outdated and those who embrace the high art of listening are destined to be the better, more compassionate leaders.”
Simplicity is the key to effective unhurriedness
Most leaders and speakers focus on sticking to a theme when hosting meetings. Being unhurried however doesn’t require a theme or a predetermined outcome. You can overlook a lot of experience and ideas by setting an agenda.
Do away with the agenda, and instead talk freely and listen patiently. You’ll quickly discover that even off topic contributions can be valuable. You can embrace a less linear, deeper and more organic structure that generates meaningful, sustainable and satisfying results.
Join other unhurried enthusiasts by having an unhurried conversation of your own. Read more at the Unhurried website.