Leadership Matters

CHAPTER 11ENGAGE HEART, HEAD AND HANDS

In his wonderful book Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention, Johan Hari explores the impact that our connection to devices and social media has on our ability to form meaningful relationships. Our relationships, be they professional or personal, are built on the back of shared experiences. The depth of those relationships is often enhanced when the experiences challenge us. Physical, mental and soulful challenges lead to the deepest relationships. We create meaningful experiences by seeking out opportunities to engage the heart, the head and the hands.

Back in the day, when the streetlights came on, it signalled it was time to head home because dinner wouldn't be far away. Now, what child doesn't have a mobile phone in their pocket or more likely in their hand, and if they are off with their mates, mum or dad can track their whereabouts using an app. Not that society has become more dangerous to warrant this. We haven't seen an explosion in kids getting grabbed off the street by strangers never to be seen again. Crime statistics suggest the opposite: we are far safer outside our homes now than in decades past.

We create meaningful experiences by seeking out opportunities to engage the heart, the head and the hands.

Why, then, are we increasingly fearful and overprotective as a society? Childhood obesity is a greater risk than random kidnappings. We serve our kids better when we teach them how to deal with stuff going wrong, how ...