When the electricity is on in our small village of Masaka, Uganda, there is loud music blasting from speakers positioned in front of the stores that dot our main street.  This means that when I’m doing my errands, I’m often dancing.  One day, as I careened into a new shop, the keeper said, “Eh!  Even you feel it?” 

I have often reflected on that exchange, considering the notion of “feeling” the moment, and allowing it to influence your whole being: mind, body and spirit.  Somatic knowledge is like that.  (The word somatic comes from the Greek sōmatikós: of, or pertaining to the body, the physical.)  As a leader, it is important to be somatically aware, to be in tune with your visceral responses and reactions.  It is essential to feel.

When there is silence in a room, Professor Terri Monroe asks, “What is the texture of this silence?” Ask yourself the same.  Sense what is happening around you.  Somatic knowledge can be a dear ally.  (Note that it can also be a confused whisperer.  Our feelings can have faulty mechanisms that trigger false alarms, so one mustn’t allow somatic knowledge to reign supreme.  Interrogate it when it’s not in sync with what your physical eyes are telling you.  That process, too, can be very telling indeed.)

So, when you begin a meeting, enter a new space, or meet someone new, don’t be afraid to tune into your gut reactions to the moment and see what’s there.

Similarly, the next time you “feel” a great song, I hope you’ll dance.

(If you’d like more info or to further discuss somatic knowledge, leave a comment below, and I’ll reply.)