https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/02/climate/whales-speed-ships-slow.html: Image and Inspiration.
Every year, off the California coast, hundreds of tankers, car carriers, and container vessels from dozens of shipping companies participate in an unusual race. The goal is to voluntarily reduce speeds in marine areas where endangered whales migrate and feed. I experienced this firsthand while sailing with my partner, a marine captain, along various coasts on car carriers from Kobe Harbor, Japan, to ports in Los Angeles, Vancouver, and more.
Through this experience, I learned that about 90% of all consumer goods are shipped by sea. The bulk of maritime cargo has grown massively, leading to an increase in both the size and number of vessels. This surge in traffic results in significant pollution and underwater spills, which are disastrous for marine life. Along the West Coast, 80 endangered blue, fin, and humpback whales are killed by ship strikes annually. Climate change, causing warming waters, shifts their food sources closer to shore, increasing the risk of collisions with ships.
Shipping companies that slow their ships not only protect marine life but also gain rewards and an enhanced reputation, stimulating a positive response in their brain’s reward system.
This practice greatly benefits the ocean ecosystem. But what about the well-being of an organizational ecosystem?
In the shipping example, companies that care for ocean life slow down for the well-being of whales and other marine creatures, creating a ripple effect throughout the entire oceanic food chain. The ultimate beneficiary is the ocean’s ecosystem.
Applying this concept to organizations, senior leaders need to rethink the relationship between work speed and overall well-being. Just as whales face the severity of death in the ocean, people in organizations face complex health and mental health challenges. A recent report states that 82% of senior leaders experience exhaustion, and about 52% have considered retiring, exiting, or moving to part-time work.
The reasons are complex and layered, and slowing down may be the answer.
In a recent survey, 92% of software engineers indicated they are more likely to stay at their job if managers show more empathy. Leaders who manage with empathy can see a 21% increase in productivity. This improvement is closely tied to the concept of slowing down. Power of Pause is a unique agency that enhances personal well-being and can significantly improve people’s lives.
Applying the power of pause and intentional breathing in interpersonal communication, difficult conversations, and decision-making allows space for well-being to flourish.
To become a leader who prioritizes well-being, focus on these four steps:
- Pace the speed of your work: Slow down to speed up.
- Trust in the unknown: Trust that solutions are always available.
- Release Pressure: Let go of overwhelming expectations and pressure. In her TED Talk, Kimi Werner, a champion spear fisher and free-diver, discusses the importance of trusting the unknown.
- Set Intention: Set the right attention and intention by being present and directing your energy.
Additionally, awards are given to companies that voluntarily reduce speeds in marine areas. A project scientist at the laboratory surveyed detailed reports on ship speeds, compelling several poorly graded companies to improve their scores. “People are starting to prioritize this,” she said. “No one wants to hit a whale.”
What if governance systems rewarded organizations and leaders that foster belonging and well-being?
What if organizations were rewarded for positively impacting people’s well-being, not just for securing millions in funding? Funding is critical as it opens channels and resources for many objectives, but leaders should ask themselves, “Funding for the sake of what?”
Leaders who create environments of well-being do so with intentionality. This requires slowing down and introspecting on what needs to change. Leaders need time and energy to visualize an aspiring version of their future self or organizational culture. So, rethink work and time.
Next time you feel outside pressure urging you to speed up, take a moment before reacting and slow down. In that moment, you might see a different path and realize what you are truly capable of.
If you understand Hindi or Punjabi or Urdu and are keen to learn from the power of music or art, click on on link and take a listen. (Satinder has a doctorate in Sufi Music. He is one of the most loved personalities of Indian Music. Neelesh Misra is one of India’s leading change-makers who has constantly introduced new and socially impactful ideas that have positively impacted millions of people. He has broken new ground with new and innovative ideas. Mr. Misra occupies a unique space among communications professionals and his work has had a diverse impact in India. His work straddles many worlds.)