Three-Foot World

navigate chaos under pressure with absolute focus!

‘One thing’ mindset begins motion, with a simple, clear foot forward.

“To operate effectively through a crisis: Focus sharply on the ‘one thing’ you can do next.

Paralysis comes when people sit in emotion and overwhelm.

‘One thing’ mindset begins motion - with a simple, clear foot forward.

Do one thing… recenter, do another and keep going”

Dr. Julie Gurner

Welcome to a new edition of “Students of Leadership,” today we introduce a simple concept that narrows even more the idea of focusing only on what one can control. The “three-foot world” concept teaches us that whenever faced with a challenging situation, feeling very worried about something, or dominated by fear in the middle of chaos; the path forward is to solely focus on the three-foot world around you, and absolutely nothing else. You must reduce your world to only the three feet in front of you!

At some point in your life uncertainty will become dominant, difficult challenges will emerge, unforeseen circumstances will destroy all your plans. Crises always loom on the horizon. The "three-foot world" mantra stands out as a way to help navigate with clarity and resilience to avoid paralysis.

The Essence of the "Three Feet World"

The "Three Feet World" philosophy encourages leaders to concentrate their focus and energy not just on their sphere of influence, but solely on a very limited and immediate sphere of influence. The idea is that under major stress leaders have the power to shape and control the space within their immediate reach, therefore by gaining clarity on what is right in front of their eyes and can directly impact, leaders can effectively navigate the chaos and steer their teams in the right direction (an immediate step at a time).

During the training, he had to climb hundreds of feet up a sheer rock face. Once he was high up he looked down, panicked, and froze. The trainer climbed up to assist him:

“Hey, man,” the trainer said in a lazy, raspy voice. “Just stay in your three-foot world.”

I was a couple of hundred feet up the rock face and I could barely think, let alone decipher his cryptic advice.

“What the hell are you talking about, bro?”

“Only focus on your three-foot world,” he said. “Focus on what you can affect. You keep looking around, and none of that can help you right now, can it?”

I shook my head no.

“You’re calculating how far you’re going to fall,” the instructor said. “You’re looking down at Jeff, but he’s not going to come up and help. You’re looking out at the Strip. What are you going to do, gamble your way to the top? Don’t look at me. I’m not going to help you either. This is up to you. You’re climbing this rock. Stay in your three-foot world.”

I’ll never forget those words: “stay in your three-foot world.” 

From the book “No Hero” by Mark Owen

Leadership Lessons from the “Three-Foot World”

Clarity in Purpose and Priorities

In chaotic times, clarity becomes paramount. High-performing team leaders must define a clear purpose and establish priorities within their "Three Feet World." By articulating a compelling vision and outlining precise objectives a leader is able to provide the team with a sense of direction critical to navigate a confined space. Every action should align with the overarching goals, ensuring that every effort contributes to progress, even amidst chaos.

Proactive Adaptation and Flexibility

Chaos needs rapid adaptation. Leaders who embrace the "Three-Foot World" mindset understand the importance of staying flexible and agile. They are prepared to pivot when necessary, adjusting tactics to address emerging challenges effectively. This adaptability within their immediate sphere of influence empowers leaders to maintain control even when the world beyond is uncertain and it seems difficult to make sense of events.

Team Empowerment and Trust

Within the "Three-Foot World," leaders foster an environment of trust and empowerment because they recognize that their team members are essential stakeholders in navigating chaos successfully, so it is them the ones that need to make decisions within their own spheres of influence to move themselves and the team forward, not only the team leader. It is the team that needs to relieve the leader's burden so they can also harnesses the collective intelligence of the team. When situations are complex and dynamic, not one person will nail all the moves. Trusting the team's capabilities and allowing them to contribute significantly helps in maintaining focus and effectiveness.

Resilience and Emotional Intelligence

In times of chaos, emotions will run high. High-performing team leaders understand the importance of emotional intelligence. They remain resilient, maintaining composure and providing a stable anchor for their team members. By modeling emotional intelligence and demonstrating resilience, leaders set a powerful example for their teams, helping them stay focused and effective despite external turmoil. This attribute is probably one of the most important ones to help the team with all others.

Continuous Learning and Growth

The "Three-Foot World" concepts has implicit in it, the need for continuous learning. Leaders recognize that even in chaos, there are opportunities (when not simple immediate ‘need’) for improvement and development. Great leaders will encourage their teams to learn fast from the challenges, adapt, and evolve within their immediate sphere of influence as they move forward. This not only ensure success with the tasks at hand, but the ability to ultimately emerge from chaos stronger, more confidence and more capable than before.

Conclusion

The "Three-Foot World" approach serves as a guiding light for high-performing team leaders who help their teams concentrate on their immediate spheres of influence to advance their goals and priorities, not to get lost in fears or desires that cannot be immediately controlled or affected. These type of leaders maintain clarity in purpose, adapt proactively, empower their teams, exhibit emotional intelligence, and foster a culture of continuous learning. They navigate the storm with confidence, knowing that within their "Three-Foot World," they possess the power to lead effectively, even more when chaos reigns. The importance of embracing this concept resides in the idea that not only their teams will be able to weather the storm they are in, but by having good results when many were fearful or doubtful, they will emerge from it stronger, more resilient, and with a sense of confidence and bonding that will make them highly effective in the long run.

When faced with fear and chaos, gain courage, look around no farther than three feet away and keep pushing forward, three feet at a time!

You can’t show courage if you never experienced fear, stay calm.

P.S. Before I go, here you have “The Treat,” where I share some of the music that kept me company while writing … Enjoy as you bid farewell to this post

“Lead yourself, Learn to live. Lead others, Learn to Build.”

If you enjoyed reading this post consider subscribing to the newsletter for free, joining the community and sharing your thoughts.