Using Nature’s Compass to Help us Navigate Out of Lockdown
By Rosie Tomkins, author of ‘N-stinctive’
Amazing technological advances across the world have allowed mankind to benefit in a myriad ways, but as we move towards an ease in the global COVID-19 lockdown constraints, is our modern way of operating what we really want? Will it have a long-term positive affect on our way of living?
Whatever we decide now will have a long-lasting effect – particularly on our younger generation and the leaders of tomorrow.
In order to make the right choices we need to reconnect with our own natural and intuitive knowledge. Our reliance on “expert advice” is ever present in all aspects of our lives and careers. These experts tell us what to eat, how to decorate our homes and how to bring up our children – the list goes on. We have leadership models or archetypes, we follow rules and often observe constraints that no longer serve us, we look to medical technology to heal us and keep us healthy, and we take courses on how to manage people.
Although there is a place for this, there is also a downside; we’re in danger of losing our initiative and our natural flair. We no longer trust our own judgement.
The COVID-19 pandemic presents us with an opportunity to rethink our approach, to reconnect with nature and our inner ‘gut feelings’. Maybe it is time to allow nature to guide us down the right path?
Nature can reconnect us to ourselves, the comfort of birdsong, a view of the vast sky and its changing canvas, or the wind on our cheek – each can bring an element of peace. The main powerful ingredient is that it takes us into the present moment. It makes us savour the here and now instead of always striving for the goals of tomorrow. By looking to nature, we can learn new ways of being and thinking. New ways to develop our business and lead our teams; ways that may serve us better in the future and will help us enjoy the present.
Here are The Five Cs – the life and business navigational tools we can gain from nature:
Nature’s lesson for us: Hard times don’t last forever and together we can bear the brunt of the worst of it for the benefit of all. Don’t dwell on the bad, rather look to the future, and while we travel the road to a post-COVID world look at how you can help others and share the burden of travel.
Nature’s lesson for us: Now is the time to be more like the tortoise. Trust in the path that you are on and that you will reach your goal, no matter how long it takes. There is no need to rush back and forth, no need to panic and make rash decisions. Stop. Take stock. Think. Trust your instincts.
The lesson: Seek to embrace the world and situations around you. Don’t fight them or wallow in the apparent unfairness of a situation. Instead find ways to adapt and inevitably you will learn to thrive in that new environment, no matter how ‘unnatural’ it may feel.
Nature’s lesson for us: Take inspiration from nature to build your courage and trust your natural instincts. By all means take baby steps first (rather than flinging yourself off the cliff) and trust that your confidence will grow with every step.
Nature’s lesson for us: Consider the value of collaboration for mutual benefit. This is particularly important through the current global economic downturn, when we are all seeking the same goals. Collaboration over competition will often help us find a sustainable solution for the future of our business.
By using nature as our compass and our inspiration we can find a new way forward for our own lives and our business. As leaders we can forge a new and improved future – one that will serve us better. Yes, there may be some bumps along the way, but ultimately if we stay the course (like the tortoise), help others (like the penguins and the plovers) and have courage (like the baby chicks) then we will emerge stronger with a life and business that more closely matches what we want to provide for ourselves, our families and our community.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rosie Tomkins is founder of the Natural Capital Consultancy and author of ‘N-stinctive’, an inspirational book that introduces an alternative to traditional leadership training by unlocking the power of the natural world to provide strength and confidence to people who are shouldering huge responsibility.
Rosie’s clients include the GB Olympic hockey and England rugby teams, the NHS and multi-national companies in the airline, engineering and pharmaceutical industries.
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