Can you tell the difference between a leader and a manager?

Vulnerability and empathy, the trademarks of natural leaders.

Lately, it has become easier to discern leaders at heart from those who are merely bosses. It’s been fascinating to witness how true leaders are exhibiting the qualities that make them so effective at leading: vulnerability and empathy.

Obviously, team members need guidance on how to work in this new environment, but the focus on the “how” should not preclude the time that should be spent in allowing them to express how they truly feel. An emotion that is expressed, heard and validated promotes emotional healing; the foundation for being empathetic.

As far as vulnerability, which some mistakenly perceive as weakness, is the trademark of a natural leader. Sharing unsettling feelings about the current context, admitting to not having all the answers, accepting shortcomings, recognising mistakes, and confessing feeling overwhelmed, are all examples of emotional exposure. Some might not be willing to take that risk, but those who do will forge deep connections with their team members, and will undoubtedly help them and the team to thrive in the new normal.

The Gift of the Quarrantine

Practical ways of deepening the connection with your child during confinement

For many of the road warriors out there like myself who spend a significant amount of time travelling for business, having been confined in my home for weeks has been an unusual experience. But quite early on during the lockdown, the words of the wizard Gandalf the Grey echoed in my mind: “All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you”.

One aspect that I have enjoyed the most during this quarantine is connecting with my children at a much deeper level, albeit not in my terms. Here are a couple of ways to deepen the connection with your kids:

1.- Follow their passion.– Start by asking a simple question: what do you love? My son is 16, and my daughter is 11, and it has been fascinating to witness the dynamic shift in their interests over the course of time. Go out for a walk and talk about their taste in books, magazines, music, television series, etc. – you will be in for a surprise!

2.- Play by their rules.– Set aside time to play with them, but given them carte-blanche to decide the type of game and the rules. Just by mindfully observing them from creation to execution, you will learn a great deal about the gifts that you have been given.

Spice up your immune system!

Ramp up your only defence against Covid-19: Your immune system

By now you must have read dozens of articles reminding you of the importance of getting restful sleep, exercising and eating a plant-based, whole-foods diet to build up your immune response in case you contract COVID-19 before the vaccine comes out next year.

I’d like to share with you additional suggestions that nicely build upon the traditional advice you’ve been exposed to.

1.- Tongue scraping.- Our mouth is the main gateway to our environment, so scraping the tongue daily removes the buildup of toxins and bacteria. Gently scrape your tongue back to front for up 14 strokes with a brass, silver or copper tongue scraper.

2.- Nigh-time steam inhalation.- Our nasal passages can trap infections, particularly when they are dry. Just before bedtime, practice steam inhalation by boiling water, covering your head and inhaling steam. After then inhalation, apply a couple drops eucalyptus oil or sesame oil.

3.- Add heating spices to your food.- Spices like garlic, chilli, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin and ginger have shown to help combat inflammation and kill harmful bacteria. These spices are also used to treat nausea, headaches and autoimmune disorders.

We all need to ramp-up our efforts to build immunity, so hopefully, this advice will help.

The Pandemic’s Silver Lining

The surprising welcomed repercussion of Covid-19

One of the positive things that came out of the confinement during the pandemic was witnessing the many people that have taken up exercise. Whilst I was cycling around the neighbourhood with my daughter during the weekend, we saw young and older couples, families and individuals of all ages either running, power walking, cycling or just going for a long stroll.

We could tell by the disparate levels of fitness and some other tell-tell signs, between those who were reconnecting with their exercise routine and those have been at it for a while. Nevertheless, we were delighted that they had chosen to be physically active once again.

Science hasn’t really fully understood why exercise is good for us, but the data is compelling. There is a clear and evident inverse relationship between physical exercise and the manifestation of disease, meaning that the more regularly we exercise, the less prone we are to illness.

Knowing that the people we ran into over the weekend will boost their immune system, get better sleep, keep their weight in check, improve their mood and access natural energy as a result of their investment in exercise, was really a much needed refreshing thought.