Reflecting on my emotions over the last few days, it has occurred to me that what I’m feeling is similar to the early stages of the Covid 19 pandemic a few years ago:
- Uncertainty about what’s happening and will happen.
- Fear of the unknown
- Angst from the daily bombardment of cataclysmic news and opinion
- In general, feelings of [word missing here] and being ungrounded
I have been here before. And this recognition has reminded me that we came through the COVID pandemic, the pandemic ended, and life continues. Major lesson:
This too, like everything, shall pass.
Nothing is permanent.
Everything changes.
But even whilst affirm this, I acknowledge that fear remains, stemming from our inability to know the impact of what’s happening in the short and long term. Yes, the pandemic ended, but we are still feeling the effects in terms of the upsurge in mental health and contentious workplace issues, such as the tug of war of return to the office policies.
Why does this matter to your leadership? Chances are that your team members are experiencing similar emotions. This will undoubtedly affect their ability to perform at their best, to serve clients, to maintain harmonious relationships with others at work – not to mention the impact on their lives and relationships outside of work. And it will definitely reduce the “joy quotient” in your workplace. Your role as the leader is to help them cope with the uncertainties, for uncertainties there will always be. It starts with you being calm and grounded by taking control of the one thing you can control: how you respond to situations. Viktor Frankl, Holocaust survivor and author of “Man’s Search for Meaning”, said:
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
No matter what’s happening in the world, we can choose how we respond. This starts with ACCEPTANCE. Acceptance means that you acknowledge that the situation exists, is happening or has happened. Note that it does not mean that you condone the situation – you just stop fighting with its existence. How do you get to this place? Try this – when you feel challenged, emotionally unsettled and in fear, affirm:
“It is what it is”
And then go further to ask yourself:
“Now how do I choose to respond?”
Notice that many ideas will surface. View each one dispassionately for its pros and cons. And make sure to add the option of doing nothing – it’s always a choice and may be the best one when considered and deliberate. There are just some times when you choose to say to yourself: “Not my problem to solve”.
Viktor Frankl also stated:
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
Some other practices that will help you lead from a place of calm to navigate the uncertainties:
- Gratitude – be grateful for the small stuff. Look for the silver linings.
- Become mindful about your emotions. Journalling is a great practice for this as is meditation.
- Manage external stimuli – reduce your consumption of the “news”; avoid negativity in whatever way you can. This does not mean putting your head in the sand – just limiting the deluge. “Breaking news” doesn’t have to break in your life every moment.
- Take care of your body – exercise, get out in nature (yes, even and especially in winter if you live in a cold clime as I do). Stay hydrated with lots of water, and eat natural, minimally processed foods.
- Take care of your mind – read, listen to music
“Uncertainty is not something to fear – it’s an opportunity” – Haku
You won’t be able to see opportunity if you are clouded by fear.
I invite you to read this blog I wrote in August 2020 for further insights in how you can best lead in uncertainty:
How to lead when the crisis won’t go away
