If you are an ambitious, hard-driving leader who never stops to take a breath - you need to listen to today's episode. Pausing as a leader is vital to making better decisions, regulating your emotions, and creating stronger relationships with your team. You may think that rapid pace is the way to find success, but it will just burn you and your team out. Today my guest is Dr. Chris L. Johnson,  author of The Leadership Pause: Navigating the Future with Clarity, Focus & Empathy.  Today we talk about why she chose pausing as the topic of her leadership book, why pausing is both mental and physical - and why it's simple but not easy! We discuss the benefits of pausing, both for you as a leader and for your team's performance. We also dive deep into the connection between triggers and mindful pausing - and why being unable to stop long enough to recognize your triggers can lead to disastrous results - personally and professionally.

Key Takeaways:

• There is no fully separating your work self and your personal self. What is going on at home will impact your work, and what is going on at work will impact your personal life. 
• Beginning to pause is about a full body practice. It is about dropping from our monkey mind, and dropping into the body and the sensations to allow us to start to shift gears. 
• Triggers are normal. We shouldn’t squash them, but we should learn from them about ourselves, our old strategies, and new strategies for moving forward in our leadership. 
• People are trying to juggle too much, they feel too overwhelmed and too busy. In fact, that's a result of not pausing. 

"Every time we do a reset, it isn't just mental, it resets our biology. And when it does that, we have more access to the resources that all of us bring to the table in the first place." —  Dr. Chris L. Johnson

About Chris L. Johnson, Consultant and Author, The Leadership Pause

Chris Johnson, PsyD. has devoted her life to the deep listening that underpins ‘what matters most’ in people’s lives.  She’s the founder of Q4 Consulting, Inc. a Chicago based consulting firm committed to cultivating exemplary leaders, collaborative teams, healthy workplaces and engaged, thriving communities. An experienced psychologist, mindfulness teacher and executive leadership coach, she's known for creating trust with those who value her honesty, deep listening and commitment to their success.

Chris is the Chair of Conscious Capitalism Chicago and on the leadership team of Ellevate Chicago. She just released her book, The Leadership Pause: Navigating the Future with Clarity, Focus & Empathy. When she’s not working, Chris is likely either gardening, reading a great book, making art, or at the aikido dojo where she practices and teaches the art of peace.

Connect with Chris L. Johnson

Q4-Consulting, Inc.: https://www.q4-consulting.com

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drchrisljohnson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Q4ConsultingInc

Book: The Leadership Pause: Navigating the Future with Clarity, Focus & Empathy.  https://q4-consulting.com/the-leadership-pause-sharpen-your-attention/

Her upcoming course, Calm the Chaos for Busy Professionals, starts in mid-September 2022 and cohorts run ongoing. See her website for more details.

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