What does it mean to be "in the Zone?" Athletes refer to it as the state of mind and body where they generate personal and team bests. "The Zone" isn't about competing. It isn't about winning-that's just a great side effect. Getting "in the Zone" is a matter of connecting with the challenges that life can throw at us. And it extends to the workplace. According to research from the Gallup organization, 70% of the workforce is unengaged. That has serious consequences on bottom-line results as well as safety in the workplace.
You can learn to systematically get "in the Zone" for work. By enlisting your heart, mind, and physical energy, you can build meaning, momentum, and engagement for work and for the people you manage. Whether you're a top level CEO or an entry-level newcomer, getting "in the Zone" can help you focus, re-energize and increase productivity and success. It's as simple as trying these winning strategies to access the right amount of energy to experience the full force of engagement at work.
Get a Mantra!
Tune in to your activation and the activation of others. When it is riding too low, use energizing power words that tell people what to do and paint energized images: "Let's ramp it up!" "Let's get it going!" "Let's move forward!" are activating mantras for increasing energy. "Nice and steady" and "Slow it down" are proactive mantras that tell you what to do to cool it down.
Get the Beat!
Whether you play it in your car, at work, or in the virtual music player that accompanies us everywhere, you can also ramp it up or turn it down with music. Use moderate rock to crank it up, smooth jazz or classical to tone it down, and steady classic rock or Broadway soundtracks to keep your pace moderate.
Get a Grip!
Tune in to the grip of your toes in your shoes, the pressure of your white knuckles on the side of the conference table, and the tension of your jaw whether it is wired tight or slack. And notice the grips of those around you. Use self-talk or proactive language to adjust your grip and the grips of others to turn activation up or down. "Let's tighten things up here," or "We need to get a grip," provide direction to ramp up the pressure. "Let's pull back for the next segment," or a directive to yourself to "loosen up" or "unclench your teeth" are cues that will shift your activation and open your attentional lens and mind.
Change the Lens!
When you notice that you and your staff are zooming in with 'monovision' to barrel along toward a goal or sales strategy, take a step back. A different point of view enables you to make sure that you are heading towards the right goal or focusing on your customer's needs. It also enables you to change focus and direction in those instances when you are heading in the wrong direction. If a wide-angle-lens view is getting in the way of connecting with work, reel it in. Ask yourself what are the critical elements that you want to focus on to get the job done? Then zoom into those and tune the rest out.
Look Forward!
Focusing on what has been lost gets in the way of progress and keeps us disengaged from the current challenge. Look at the real deal and look forward to get engaged with the now. Create a vision of how things will be better by implementing change or a systems conversion or by putting noses to the grindstone to pound out a huge piece of work on deadline.
Exchange Your Language.
What we say and how we say it-to others and to ourselves in the privacy of our minds-is one key to reading and changing attitude. To get a new attitude, trade the language of oppression ("I/we have to, must, should, should have, can't," "if only," and "if I/we do…") for the language of opportunity-"I/we want to, will, can," "this is the real deal," and "when I/we do."
"Don't use don't."
Don't think about what time it is-did you see a clock or a watch? The brain may not even process the word 'don't' but instead we picture the words that follow. To lead yourself and others into "the Zone," replace every "don't" with a "do"-tell yourself and others what to do and watch the results soar.
Get the beat, look forward, choose your language and tell yourself and others what to do.
Use these field-tested strategies from top level athletes to get "in the Zone." By engaging your heart, mind, and energy-your own and others- you can bring yourself to work today and every day. Long may you run!
Dr. Pam Brill is a licensed psychologist who puts psychology to work through her firm, In The Zone, Inc. Peak Performance Consulting, that provides organizational development consulting and coaching. She is also the author of
The Winner's Way: A Proven Method for Achieving Your Personal Best in Any Situation. She has taught for Dartmouth Medical School and has consulted with Capitol Hill legislators, Fortune 500 companies, and Dartmouth College athletes. For more information on her consulting, speaking or book, please visit: www.inthezoneinc.com.
