In order to optimally pursue health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance flexibility is an essential attribute.
Dr. Darin Davidson partners with Learner+, a CME/CE reflective learning platform for healthcare providers. For the opportunity to reflect on this article and earn CME/CE credits, Launch here. Check out all past articles which are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits.
For downloadable, actionable strategies and tactics to leverage biology in the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance, visit the resource store, Launch here. Chapters are arranged by topic so those of interest can be selected and each are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits through Learner+.
The pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance within the framework of the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete requires, as discussed in previous articles, the embodiment of mind-based and body-based skills, strategies, and tactics. As described in the past article, we can learn from best in the world coaches that curating an environment of connection and belonging is an important ingredient to fostering sustainable high performance. The same is absolutely true of the pursuit of health and wellbeing.
One of the essential elements to optimally creating the culture and environment for the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance is flexibility. One of the common attributes between Phil Jackson and Pete Carroll discussed in the previous article is their ability to relate, connect, and bond with their players and fellow coaches. It is axiomatic that each of these individuals would have their unique personalities, backgrounds, philosophies, and goals. In order to strongly bond and connect with each of these unique individuals, a tremendous amount of flexibility is necessary.
An example which was well documented of the flexibility Phil Jackson demonstrated in his approach to his players with the Chicago Bulls was how he related to one player in particular, Dennis Rodman. During the season, it would be expected that each of the players would be present and available for all practices and games, unless they were otherwise excused due to injury, illness, or other matters. Typically, this would not include taking a trip in the middle of a season. In one season, however, Phil Jackson permitted Dennis Rodman to travel to Las Vegas for a specified period of time in the midst of the season. Underlying this unusual scenario was the acknowledgment by Phil Jackson that it was necessary to respect Dennis Rodman as a unique individual and recognize a specific situation that may have been necessary for him. The end result of this action was that Dennis Rodman was able to continue playing during the season at a very high level whereas prior to the trip he was perhaps demonstrating signs of burnout.
While the above example may be extreme within the context of professional sports, there are numerous other examples that both he and Pete Carroll have demonstrated over their coaching careers which demonstrate their ability to be flexible in order to serve the higher objective of connecting and bonding with their players and coaches. Ultimately this fosters the necessary culture and environment which allowed their players and, therefore, their teams to perform at a high level. As a result, they were widely respected and loved by their players.
The concept of maintaining flexibility in our pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance is equally important. We can learn a tremendous amount from these two coaches regarding the importance of flexibility and the application of this attribute.
In our pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance, as well as our attempts to encourage those around us to do the same, it is important that we embody the mind-based and body-based skills, strategies, and tactics within the framework of the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete. Similar to the coaching examples described above, it is important that we do this with flexibility. This relates both to our own practices as well as how we support and encourage those around us.
While there are other paradigms which exist for the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance, the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete provides an inherently flexible approach. There is a recognition within this framework that different individuals may optimally utilize different skills at different times. Likewise, there is the acknowledgment that the same individual may utilize different skills at different times in order to achieve the same end result.
The ultimate objective of the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete is to assist in the leveraging of biology towards the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance. The inherent recognition that different people will utilize different skills as well as the same person may utilize different skills at different times demonstrates the flexibility within this paradigm. In addition, the unification of the psychological based perspective and the somatically oriented paradigm offers further flexibility. This is evident through the understanding that we can utilize different mind-based or body-based skills at different times within the principles and concepts underlying the framework.
This inherent flexibility provides the optimal foundation and framework from which we can pursue health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance. Because of a wide array of skills, from both the psychologically based framework and the somatically oriented paradigm, we have optimal ability to utilize different skills which may be effective under different circumstances. Furthermore, we can utilize different skills under similar circumstances at different times, which may be similarly useful. This inherently recognizes that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to the embodiment of these skills, rather it is important that we develop as robust a toolbox as possible. This ensures that we are flexible within any given circumstance and can employ the most effective skill or combination of skills in any given moment.
When we are attempting to interact with others and assist them in the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance it is similarly important to recognize that those individuals may optimally utilize different skills than we may. As such the wide array of skills and robust toolbox is equally important and necessary as we support others in their journey.
The attribute of flexibility emerges from anchored and grounded states. Ultimately, this trait requires the ability to consider different understandings and perspectives, as well as various possibilities and options to address a given situation. This characteristic is highly reflective of the attribute of mental agility which has been discussed in a past article. In order to consider these various options, cognitive function is essential. This is optimally available only through anchored and grounded states. As such, in order to allow flexibility to emerge, it is necessary to utilize mind-based and body-based skills, strategies, and tactics to shift into anchored and grounded states.
The importance of flexibility within our nervous system, such that we are able to experience high stress and high demand situations without becoming stuck in activated, attacking, anxious, overwhelmed, and shutdown states has been discussed in past articles. This is another application of the overall attribute of flexibility within this framework. The focus of this article has been the utilization of flexibility in the application of specific mind-based and body-based skills, as well as our ability to relate to others. Overall, however, flexibility is an essential attribute both within our nervous system as discussed above, as well as in our approach to the utilization of specific skills, strategies, and tactics.
As described throughout this article, flexibility is a necessary trait within our pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance. It is inevitable that we will experience new and challenging situations throughout our lives. In order to optimally encounter these situations and respond in a fashion that continues to promote health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance it is essential that we demonstrate and cultivate as great a degree of flexibility as possible.
To learn more, including about polyvagal informed coaching for healthcare professionals and others in high demand domains, please visit www.darindavidson.com.
Dr. Darin Davidson partners with Learner+, a CME/CE reflective learning platform for healthcare providers. For the opportunity to reflect on this article and earn CME/CE credits, Launch here. Check out all past articles which are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits.
For downloadable, actionable strategies and tactics to leverage biology in the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance, visit the resource store, Launch here. Chapters are arranged by topic so those of interest can be selected and each are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits through Learner+.