Being A Resilient Leader In Testing Times
Design your day
No doubt you are doing lots of “firefighting” at the moment. It’s easy to get the end of a day/ week and wonder what did I achieve? Did I get done what I needed to get done – or have I just afforded a lot of time and energy to the issues of others? These things were no doubt urgent, and maybe important, but our fulfilment through work can be negatively impacted if we don’t make progress where we want to. If you plan your day before it begins you can ensure at least some of your objectives can be advanced while also being available to assist others.
“Either you run the day or the day runs you.” – Jim Rohn
Think beyond self
One of the best ways to enhance your sense of fulfilment and positivity in these times (or at anytime for that
matter) is to support the efforts of others. This can take many forms like; collaborating with another business on a project, helping a team
member acquire a new skill, donating time/ expertise to a local not-for-profit, or contributing to a resource hub like THRIVE. Doing the
right thing is always the right thing. Often, we benefit as much as the recipient from the experience.
“The happiest people in life are the givers not the getters.” - Unknown
Document your wins
There will be plenty of knockbacks and roadblocks to success
for us to navigate at this time. We are biologically inclined to prioritise negative experiences (research suggests it take six positives
to offset one negative). With that fact in mind, ensure you take stock of where you’ve had success in your day. Taking some time at the
end of the day to document those bright spots - no matter how trivial they may seem - can help reframe our thinking and encourage us to
look for, and focus on the positives.
“Gratitude turns what we have into enough .”- Aesop
Create space for you
Be sure to engineer some pockets of time into your week
for non-work activities that reinvigorate you. It might be a coffee chat, a run or a Netflix special. Whatever it is, have the discipline
to ensure it doesn’t get overlooked in the busyness of daily life. There will be plenty of energy takers in your day - make space for the
energy makers too!
“Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean me first, it means me too.” – L.R. Knost
Have a sounding board
You will be wrestling with lots of tough decisions and internalising the
stress of others as you lead your team. It’s important to have an outlet, along with access to sage advice, as you plot your path forward.
A coach or mentor is a great resource to investigate if you don’t have a support person like this currently. Taking work home and
conversing with loved ones around it isn’t an ideal option. Being stoic and suffering alone is even worse!
“A problem shared is a problem halved.” – Proverb