Management and movement is a fundamental relationship we need to consider into today's workplace - with Toby Buckle

Mindset, Mood & Movement: Systems Thinking for Founder

I’m delighted to share insights from my latest podcast with Toby Buckle about leadership, management and movement.

We open up conversation of conscious movement in the workplace. Body language and state (emotional) management has a profound effect on us and our performance.

A concept I have is that we don’t live in a body, we THROUGH a body. I like to help people define how they can move well and feel strong plus alleviate stress by moving and staying connected to their body. So much stress is based on psychological threats but it’s experienced in the body.

Toby is also a Tai Chi teacher and he explained to me how we can use that lens to view senior people’s activity with. Toby says that post pandemic, there’s even less movement based on working practices. Video calls are an example of we are moving less compared to when we walk and talk on a voice call. Perhaps that’s something you can consider in your own working day.

There’s a brilliant exercise we go through based on 3 zones – Comfort, Stretch and Panic. These can be done as imaginary zones on the floor you can actually ’step’ into. Toby explains this this process and it’s super helpful to help understand how to get into the ‘stretch’ zone where you can grow. Coming out of our head only and connect to the embodied experience is so powerful.

Tai Chi, much like Yoga, teaches how to be grounded and become present and able to take on things when we are grounded. These principles can be learned through movement practices. Our body happens before our head (most of the time) and we can harness this with self awareness to connect better with others, especially as a leader.

We talk about the distinction between motivating and demotivating strategies - How this can work for you or against you. Building in buffer zones to reflect and have space between meetings and ideally include some movement, even if you’re watering the plants in the office (Toby’s real example). My suggestion is “how can you move more?” Looking at what you’re doing and not doing can be revealing and help you strategise to move more on a daily basis.

What are you role modelling to your team and your family by your choices around movement? How do you describe yourself? Our identity statements are ones to watch. Toby uses a big ‘away-from’ thought to help motivate him. All these factors play into making new choices around movement and exercise and thinking in long-term timelines will be factors that create a formula for healthy habit building.

Get in touch with Toby

You can find all Toby's details and info on this website.

Get in touch with Sal

If this episode has caught your attention and you wish to learn more, then please contact me. I offer a free 20 min call where we can discuss a challenge your facing and how I may be able to help you