Where is joy in dark times? It’s difficult to find it when there is, as Bob Marley sang:
“War in the east
War in the west
War up north
War down south
War, war
Rumours of war”
Yet life goes on. Our businesses and organizations must continue to operate, flourish and serve. Succumbing to despair in dark times leads to hopelessness. It has a negative impact on productivity and performance, which may seem to be trivial when so many are suffering. It’s detrimental to the team, clients and you, the leader. But the leader has an obligation to lead at all times, including and especially in dark times. And I posit: to lead from a place of joy. This does not mean joy as pleasure or even happiness – to me it means leading from a place of being grounded, peaceful within and calm. This can be challenging but it’s necessary. Here are 5 things you can do to lead your time in dark times:
- Be aware of and take charge of your own emotions. Without judgement, acknowledge how you are feeling: you feel what you feel. Acknowledge that you do not help the situation by adding to the angst, unease, conflict and despair by being unsettled. Decide how you would prefer to feel and focus on that. It may be joy, or just calm. It’s your choice – that’s always available to you.
- Be prepared. Take time to prepare yourself to greet the day by doubling down on your morning ritual. Calm your mind with positive thoughts; energise your body with movement and ground your spirit through quiet stillness, meditation or prayer. And do this before checking your technology. The bad news can wait!
- Be vigilant about what you take in throughout the day. Watch or listen to the news once, no more than twice per day. Be aware of the conversations you engage in, either face to face or on social media – feel free to leave if they are draining your energy. You don’t have to comment on everything.
- Take breaks throughout the day to release the tension you might be feeling – go for a walk, watch an uplifting video, read a book of fiction. Connecting with nature and creative pursuits are particularly helpful at these times. My music playlists that I listen to throughout the day soothe my soul and return me to joy.
- Be extra vigilant about noticing your team members and how they’re feeling. Meet them with calm. Allow space for them to share their feelings and emotions if they wish. I recall decades ago, when I was managing my family’s business in Jamaica, the utter despair that my employees were feeling. Jamaica was in a civil war, and they were in the midst of it, residing in places of extreme violence and having to traverse to and from work each day. One morning, I stopped the production line and we sat together for about 2 hours to allow them space to talk, to empty themselves of their emotions and to feel some glimmer of hope. They were grateful for this opportunity, as was I, for their openness and honesty deepened my understanding of what they were going through.
Unfortunately, there are always dark times somewhere in the world. You do not have to be part of the darkness:
Be aware of, and compassionate about the suffering of others.
Be grateful for the relative peace in which you live.
And do what you can to be a force for peace and calm wherever you go. It will ripple out to your team members, customers and all with whom they interact.
“Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”
