When leaders get uncomfortable, they notice and take a pause. They know that discomfort is where the learning happens.
When we have tough conversations, when we lean into topics that are new to us, and when we are challenged beyond our knowledge and beyond our experience, our brains react with fear. We are programmed to fear the unknown, because the new, the novel, the unexpected — well, that’s what might harm us. The familiar is comfortable because we have encountered it before and survived. The unfamiliar might be dangerous, and so our brains release chemicals that speed our breathing, speed our heartrate and get us ready to defend. We are physiologically programmed to fight or flight, freeze or befriend.
Leaders have learned to recognize these signs of discomfort as opportunities for growth. They pause, take a breath, and reflect on what’s happening. Leaders know that they can only learn if they listen in these moments. They learn to seek out these moments as moments of true growth and development.
They surround themselves with people who think differently than they do, people who have different life experiences, and who are willing to challenge their current mindset.
Can you listen more this week? Can you seek places and conversations of discomfort?