The Practice of Intention

One of the elements of many, maybe most, yoga classes is the practice of setting an intention at the beginning of class. An intention may be something you want to learn in the class such as a new asana. It may be an attitude you want to maintain – openness to new experiences or keeping positive throughout a challenging class, for example. An intention can be maintaining a focus on your breath or your emotions during the class. Some teachers encourage students to set an intention at the end of class to carry something from the class into the rest of your day. Setting an intention is a way to focus your actions toward something, to add depth and meaning to what would otherwise be simply an exercise class.

This practice has an important lesson for leaders as well. In our organizations, we call this developing a mission and a vision. Mission and vision statements help us focus our attention on something of importance. In the middle of all the chaos around us, when there are multiple choices to be made, well-drafted vision and mission statements guide our decisions. They add purpose to what might otherwise be a random set of actions and conclusions.

But there is another way to bring the practice of setting an intention into our leadership practice. We can set intentions as we do in a yoga class in a variety of contexts. For example, we can set an intention for a staff meeting. Often we think we have done that when we create the agenda, but this is more than that. You can set an intention about creating a space for people to be creative. You can set an intention regarding your own listening. You can set an intention about your ability to be open to criticism or new ideas. There are many different purposes and possible outcomes for meetings. Taking five minutes before you begin to sit quietly, breathe, and identify what you want to accomplish above and beyond the task list on your agenda, begins to bring more depth and purpose to your meetings.

The list of ways you can bring this practice into your leadership is extensive. You can practice setting an intention for large meetings, one-on-one sessions, and events and programs. You can choose to set an intention for your own behavior such as keeping your cool during a difficult conversation. Determining what success looks like for a specific program, or what you want to achieve in a speech are other ways of practicing intentional leadership. As in a yoga class, setting an intention as a leader is a way to focus your actions, act in line with your values, and deepen your leadership work.

Take care,

Gage

 

Meditation