Guest Opinion: Leadership lessons from a toddler

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BY JESSICA MALDONADO | Public affairs manager, PolicyWorks LLC


Every time I am on the phone with my toddler and ask where he is, his answer is simply “right here.”


It took hearing this multiple times before I realized the significance. For a toddler, it doesn’t matter what his physical location is when I ask, he is always “right here,” living in the present. Wherever he is physically, his mental attention is fully focused. He is always watching, listening and absorbing his surroundings.
 
I wish I could same the same for myself, but as an adult it seems increasingly more challenging to be completely focused and present when adult worries and distractions always seem to linger. Whether it’s sitting in a work meeting while you are distracted by a looming deadline or a family dinner the night before a big meeting, it’s hard to turn off those other thoughts and concentrate on the current activity. However, this skill is a valuable leadership trait and we can all learn from a toddler in our life.


When I think about the best leaders in our community, the mentors we all hope to have in our lives, I think about the time they take out of their schedules to focus on the person sitting across the table. At work, the best leaders are fully engaged in a meeting, dissecting challenges and finding solutions. They remember key details from the meeting not because they took great notes, but because they were mentally invested in the conversation.


My toddler helps keep me in check. He tells me to put my phone down when he knows I’m not mentally there. And he tells me to look at him when he knows I’m not fully focused. The other day I studied his face closely, looked him in the eyes as he told me long stories and wondered when he got so grown up. I realized it might have been a while since I was so completely focused on him.  


So I am going to follow his lead, and challenge my friends and colleagues to do the same. Whether it’s a Monday morning meeting and you’re worrying about the week ahead instead of being mentally present, or an outing in your personal life, put down the device. Wherever you are, be “right here.”


Jessica Maldonado is the public affairs manager for PolicyWorks, assisting clients with public affairs, advocacy efforts and events. Prior to joining PolicyWorks, she spent nearly 10 years at the Greater Des Moines Partnership. Maldonado is a 2016 Forty Under 40 honoree, a member of Lead Like a Lady and a 2013 graduate of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute. She serves on the Community Connect Mentor Council, is a member of Variety’s Polo on the Green committee and is part of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs Gala Committee.  
 
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Connect with Maldonado on LinkedIn or reach her by email or phone at 515-224-8963.