I am a procrastinator.  Let’s face it…most of us deal with procrastination for tasks we don’t like to do.  

For me I don’t procrastinate on the more immediate to-dos, or tasks related to my friends and family. Yet I do find myself avoiding some longer-term projects.  It’s those things that take dedicated time, intense focus, and hard thinking on complex issues.  This kind of work is hard to fit into the flow of my days, and it requires new habits for me to achieve my desired results.  

Prepping to say a few words at a Board meeting? No problem. Getting ready to coach a CEO in a one-on-one session? I jump right in. But sitting and doing heads-down strategic analysis on an important decision - it’s tough to begin.

Leadership is an art form.  To become a master in any art form requires commitment, practice, and continual learning.  You move from being good to being exceptional. You become a master.  

So let me be very personal this week.  As a leader, I highly value cultivating mastery in the art of gratitude and reflection. These two “being traits” are precursors to the “doing traits” of inspiring, focusing, aligning, and motivating others.  On a personal level, if I do not take time out for daily reflection, anchored in a grateful heart, my energy is depleted and my ability to connect with others diminishes.  

I have committed to two simple habits every day that move me toward mastery with gratitude.  Believe me, I don’t always feel like doing these every day, but I know the benefits and the costs of the choice I make.  

More and more CEOs are committing to long-term performance and a clear purpose for their company that has both an economic and social impact. But it is not easy.  

Unilever CEO Paul Polman recently put his shareholders on notice that he is taking the long view for sustainable growth and profitability. He’s anchored this in a clear purpose of “the highest standards of corporate behavior toward everyone we work with, the communities we touch, and the environment on which we have an impact.” Polman declared he is no longer going to be a slave to quarterly earnings and quarterly guidance.  Instead, he is investing in all stakeholders to build a long-term, highly-profitable future.  

That is a bold move. And not every CEO will feel comfortable taking this stance. It’s one thing to say you are going to take your company in this direction, but it’s quite another to do it – and keep doing it – over time. CEOs are under pressure from shareholders to deliver earnings growth, facing new competitive threats from unexpected fronts, and being scrutinized by their customers and the industry on social media. When the pressure is on, even the most well-intentioned may falter.