It Makes Me a Very Anxious Leader (#222)
The Confident Leader
BOOST YOUR LEADERSHIP IN UNCERTAIN TIMES
In the weeks leading up to the election, I observed a level of anxiety not typical for the leaders I usually encounter. One leader’s comment to me offered insight into how to lead without anxiety.
“Conquer anxiety through action.”
― Jan L. Bowen (American executive coach)
This Week’s Edition
Have you ever felt anxious as a leader? Of course you have. Welcome to the club. I have a solution for this leadership anxiety.
Clarify Your Thinking
The higher level of anxiety experienced by those leaders was driven by the persistent uncertainty associated with the upcoming election.
- My clients are in a holding pattern, not making decisions.
- Who will be in the White House?
- How will any new policies affect my business?
It was distracting and pulled their focus away from their stated priorities. But the election itself is not an anomaly.
Leaders are often tempted to be absorbed by external factors beyond their control that they believe might be a threat to their business:
- Increasing interest rates
- Inflation and the recession
- A global pandemic
Impending events that could have a negative impact should not be dismissed. It is important to be thoughtful about future risks.
However, overly focusing on events beyond our control can create anxiety. That worry can diminish our ability as leaders to perform our best when it matters most, taking our attention away from the things that could help us weather the impending storm.
Old Thinking: I think this impending thing is going to be bad. If it happens, we might be in real trouble. I’m feeling anxious.
New Thinking: Less-than-positive things threaten our business all the time. Most don’t materialize. Those that do typically aren’t as bad as we anticipated. And none have taken us down yet. I’m going to stay focused on what we can control and forge our own future.
Thoughts Lead to Actions
Jack, a CEO, said, “other leaders whom I spend time with are anxious about the election for their businesses. I refuse to waste time in that way. When I’m tempted to be anxious, I remind myself to stay laser-focused on the priorities of the business.”
He rationalizes this approach by saying, “If the bad thing happens, I want to have spent time preparing my organization for that event.”
Thus, the antidote to leadership anxiety is action—focus on doing those things within your control. Here are some examples you can consider when feeling anxious as a leader:
- Review your vision and assess your strategies. Determine what improvements you need to make to generate greater momentum.
- Spend time building the relationships with your team. Ensure everyone is engaged and performing well. Make adjustments as needed. Move people to new roles. Create development plans for others.
- Engage your client relationships. Find out how well you are serving them. Discuss how you can support them in other ways.
Anxiety (and worry), while “normal,” are wasted energy for a leader. Think of it this way: if the problem has a solution, get busy solving it. If the problem doesn’t have a solution, then there is nothing to do. Grin, bear it, and get on down the road.
Since the election is over, what might be the next external event that’ll tempt you to fall into the trap of anxiety? Be mindful, and put this strategy into practice.
Boost Your Performance
Watch this week’s video to understand how Nick Saban handled the temptation to be an anxious leader.
What’s Your Opinion?
What’s your antidote to leadership anxiety? Let me know: robin.pou@robinpou.com
If you are going to be a leader, you might as well be a good one. Don’t let doubt count you out. Have a confident week!
Robin Pou, Chief Advisor and Strategist
We live to make bad leadership extinct so forward this newsletter to others who strive to be confident leaders.
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What is “The Confident Leader”?
During the Covid-19 Pandemic, I began a video series called “Panic or Plan?” It was designed to equip leaders to navigate the doubt they experienced and to rise in the confidence they needed to lead during turbulent times. It took off. I then started this newsletter to equip leaders in the same fashion each week for the doubt that crashes across the bow of their leaderSHIP.
