The Power of Productive Solitude

What framework or structure have you set up for thinking? Where do you think best? Many people don’t know off hand, but after a minute or two might share that they think best when alone. We recently stumbled across a book on leading yourself, and have been enthralled from the very beginning. “Lead Yourself First” by Ray Kethledge and Mike Erwin is a qualitative study of how past leaders have used productive solitude to make key decisions.  

We are now 10 years into the era of having a super computer that is in your pocket. 1.2 billion Apple iPhones have been purchased, and our new behaviors around them are only just ​becoming understood. It could be stated that one of the outcomes we all feel is some sort of attachment to the devices. Just as the washing machine replaced the scrub board and freed up hours of our week, so has the super computer in our pocket made our lives easier. Amidst the ease might be......

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another driver, in terms of connectivity to others as the home-run app; whether it is via text, email, or a social platform like Facebook.  Belonging feels great. 

Counter to our need to belong is our need to be alone. This natural tension between autonomy and belonging has been dealing with a new actor for the past ten years, and it appears that alone time is shrinking. We now have to choose to be alone, and “Lead Yourself First​” comes along at an interesting time, making the case that in order to lead and make a contribution to others, you need to be able to think for yourself first.  

Which brings us back to our question of: what framework or structure do you have to allow you to collect your thoughts? If you have a free minute and enjoy this topic, please share with us how you build your thoughts to make key decisions.