#98 Create More Flow with Camille Preston

Do you want to increase your productivity by 50%. Camille Preston shows us how to create more flow, and tells us that, once in a state of flow we are 7 times more productive than normal. So do you want to create more flow in your life? How to Create More Flow As Camille says the world needs flow now more than ever before. Flow allows you to organise your life around practices of intrinsic value: habits and ways of being that we have decided are important, fulfilling, and have the capacity to change the world for good. That’s what you’ll find in her new book:  Create More Flow. http://aimleadership.com/cmf/ About Camille Preston We spoke to Camille Preston, the most engaging of people, from her home in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. She grew up in New Hampshire. She has lived in London too. Before we got started, we noticed Camille drinking something like coloured water. It turns out it was Ultima – which replaces electrolytes and hydrates in a healthy way. It is certified vegan, paleo friendly and gluten free. Take a look at Camille’s photo, it’s probably a smart move to try some!! How to Create More Flow with Camille Preston http://www.ultimareplenisher.com Camille earned her PhD in Psychology from the University of Virginia in 2000. The doctorate was really looking at systems. How organisations work together. Graham reminded us of the Fawlty Towers episode where a Psychiatrist stays at Basil’s hotel. Very funny episode! Here’s a short clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnaHybw6CBI Camille often describes herself as the woman psychiatrist on “Billions”, Dr Wendy Rhoades. Here’s a scene from the first episode. She uses industrial language, which we didn’t get a hint of from Camille throughout our interview! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBpeYD1gneY After earning her doctorate, she did a spell on Capitol Hill. She left there to work with a non-profit, with police executives. Her first day on the job was 9/11.   The police chiefs asked her what they should do, she didn’t really know, so it propelled her into leadership development. She helped the police chiefs navigate this transition to support their communities post 9/11. Leadership development was about helping people who were TECHNICALLY good at what they do, to figure out a new chapter. How they should respond to uncertainty. And perform. How to respond to uncertainty The whole crux of leadership development is that you cannot really prepare for the unknown, but using the gym metaphor, you can build the muscles and skills and get to know yourself. Then you have more agility and adaptability when uncertainty arrives. That is the subject of Camille’s book “Create More Flow” so we know how to position ourselves to be our best regardless of what happens around us. How do you develop leadership skills when they’ve not been taught to you before? People who are great individual contributors are promoted, not necessarily because the want leadership, but there is this informal hierarchy which says wealth is better. Rarely are people given the skills of leadership. They are just thrown into the new position and it can take them away from the joy, the reason they got the role in the first place. The most important skill as they move into a leadership role, is to know: Themselves (SELF AWARENESS); What positions them for success; Where their weaknesses are; What their developmental opportunities are; Then build their capacity to STEP BACK and get perspective. We live in this always on, connected, over-wired world. So rarely do we give ourselves the time to just EXHALE. Tips and thoughts – how do we get that perspective. Camille’s first book was re-wired, all about getting perspective. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rewired-Smarter-Purposefully-Productive-Overwired-ebook/dp/B006NYFFN4 Get resources from http://aimleadership.com/insights/resources/ Help yourself understand how to move from OVER-WIRED,