“And with the 257th pick in this year’s executive leadership draft, we pick you to supervise the CEO’s Ficus plant and buy glazed donuts for the weekly staff meeting.”
VIM Executive Coaching is well aware that the NFL’s annual professional football draft is among the most watched “non-events” across America. This year’s round one audience approached 14-million and we would guess the entire event over the three days easily exceeded 16-million. As the rounds of picks wind down, there is but one surprise left: the last guy picked. The bottom of the heap, so to speak. He is traditionally called Mr. Irrelevant.
Sometimes, occasionally, surprisingly, Mr. Irrelevant does turn out to be relevant, for example, Quarterback Brock Purdy. But we would argue he was an outlier who slipped in the standings due to prior year’s injury.
Nevertheless, with the billions of dollars at stake on the draft, with all the buying, selling and trading, the highly paid draft analysts for each team, the league and, of course, the media are not often fooled. True, it is an inexact science, and athletes can – and do – overcome their perceived value but largely, a backup or limited role player who is drafted often turns out to be just that. It doesn’t make them bad people, and many scrape-by for years at league minimums until they are replaced by younger, faster, slightly better or even cheaper.
Suppose there was an executive draft?
All this draft talk got us to thinking about executive leadership. Could there be an executive leadership draft in your future? It is not as far-fetched as we might think. Nor, obviously is such a draft limited to gender, age or athletic ability.
Suppose you were drafted tomorrow (or, if you’d prefer, potentially recruited by an organization?). Such recruitment happens every day of the week, multiple times a day. In fact, we would argue that it happens within organizations more often than we would think.
Irrelevancy, no matter what gender label we give it, is a real thing. Many executives are forced to a sort of land of immaterial existence. They are reduced to the equivalent of minding Ficus plants and going on glazed donut runs.
Sometimes the transition is so subtle, the executives hardly notice the walls dividing them from the rest of the team. When the executives finally do notice the intentional isolation or being forced down the path of irrelevancy, the pain is palpable. Though we have talked rather tongue-in-cheek in this comparison, the psychological and anxietal trauma of being cast aside is desperately real.
The professional athlete has an advantage over the business executive in this regard. The most super of super-stars knows when they begin to fall behind a step, lose strength, see their trade stock falling or are made aware that they will be reduced in playing time. It is why so many of the wiser athletes develop a multitude of options outside of sports.
The executive leader does not always have such advantages however, they can develop skills and abilities that make them solid, influential associates and highly relevant competitors. The executive leader has mindfulness on their side.
Develop mindfulness
There are no guarantees in either sports or organizational life, but for the executive leader who develops mindfulness, greater authenticity and the ability to respond to changing situations in the moment is an invaluable asset.
Mindfulness, when practiced, enables executive leaders to navigate the organizational playing field with keener understanding, thoughtful action and thought.
Clinical psychologist Clara Roberts Otero recently stated:
“Mindfulness isn't just about self-discovery; it transforms relationships. Mindful people make better friends or partners, but that's not just a coincidence. Science says so.”
Indeed, mindfulness training is transformative and numerous studies underscore its importance in the workplace.
We have never met a mindful “Mr. Irrelevant.” We have worked with many mindful executive leaders who maintained a high-level of importance throughout their careers.