It’s one thing to lead when things are going well and the answers are straightforward, but let’s face it, that’s rare these days. Instead, we are making decisions about uncertain futures, leading groups with divided opinions and feeling like half the time we are holding our breath, hoping that we don’t drop the ball if we turn our head for more than a second to put out a different fire.
So while we can’t predict the future and control everything around us, we can focus on the following elements to ensure that we aren’t just existing in a state of numbness:
- Cleaning up our own mindset. The more clear we can get on our own thoughts and how those impact the way we feel and act, the less willing our brain is to take on the drama of others. In other words, greater awareness creates the consciousness to choose how we want to think and feel in any given moment vs. defaulting to taking on the feelings of those around us.
- Opening ourselves to the spectrum of emotion. So much of our work life is spent avoiding or suppressing our emotions that many of us simply exist in a very narrow window. I used to refer to this as just feeling “numb”. Avoiding the strong negative emotions and robbing ourselves of joy and happiness. By allowing ourselves to exist in many of the emotions we avoid such as doubt, disappointment, discomfort and uncertainty, we open ourselves to experiencing emotions on the other end of the spectrum such as appreciation, empowerment, enthusiasm and contentment.
- Creating intentional and deliberate leadership practices. We may not always know what the right answer is, but it’s a lot easier to accept failure when we choose to show up at our best. Knowing the goals we want to achieve, what qualities we want to embody on that journey, taking intentional steps forward and continuing to manage our mind throughout the process will continue to move us forward, despite any setbacks.
- Holding space for ourselves and those around us. Believing in the capability of ourselves and those around us allows us to get out of the cycle of despair and into a world where we can see the possibilities of all we can accomplish. It opens our minds to what is possible in the future vs. keeping us limited to what we’ve seen in the past.
- Building our own internal strength. While external validation can be nice, it doesn’t come without conditions and it’s not always available when we need it most. By creating the unshakeable strength inside of our own selves, we have the ability to access it whenever it’s needed.
These five elements set the foundation for not only my own leadership, but my coaching of others. Which have you implemented successfully? Where have you struggled? I would love to hear from you at heather@heatherpacaro.com.