Who hasn't experienced this: You rush into your Monday morning and perhaps just manage to make yourself a cup of coffee before the first meeting starts. The second coffee and a chocolate bar follow between meetings two and three. And suddenly the day is over without having completed a single task on your to-do list, which is why the evening yoga class has to be cancelled once again. – Well, this is just the price to pay for success and leadership responsibility? Wrong, says Valerie Mocker in her inspirational talk at this year's (digital) Leadership Day.
"Great leaders," Valerie argues, are not the ones who work the hardest. They are the ones who have the courage to do less, especially in times of crisis. Valerie Mocker knows a thing or two about success: the Oxford graduate was an investor in innovation and the youngest director at Nesta, the fund for social innovation in the UK. She also figures on Capital magazine's list of "40 under 40 " and is a highly demanded speaker across borders, and is the founder of wingwomen, a platform that aims to break down established thought patterns and rewrite the rules that define what makes a good leader.
We need to get away from a "busy-bee" mentality and the belief that only those who have a full schedule and do as many things as possible at the same time are successful leaders. Instead, we should do less and set the right priorities. Her recipe for success: create space for energy and clarity, dare to ask others for help, and have the courage to say no. How to succeed in this? First of all, by starting to take time for ourselves every morning: For yoga, meditation – or a second coffee. Pay yourself first. Don't rush into the day. Silence the storm. Then, success will come on its own.
Valerie Mocker's talk can be listened to/viewed here (it's very much worth it!):
https://youtu.be/5QNNlOpV2Zk
About our “Leadership Day”:
Since 2017, we have been inviting grantees and partners from our network to a "Leadership Day" once a year, where we work together on topics that are currently on our minds in order to learn from each other and share experiences and expertise. This year' s motto was: "BEAUTIFUL PROSPECTS! - How can I lead my team into the future crisis-proof?" Due to the current situation, it took place as a virtual event on September 30, 2021.