Calm Under Pressure

"Losing your head in a crisis is a good way to become the crisis." - C.J. Redwine

These are turbulent times. I don't like to talk politics or political views. But after watching (part of) the chaotic Presidential Debate last night it had me shaking my head in disbelief on how the two candidates handled each other. Uncontrolled chaos was all I could think of. Most people want a leader to be rational and calming. Confident and strong. Calm under pressure. Focused on the initiatives or objectives. Basically everything that was lacking in the debate.  Needless to say, I couldn't watch it very long and moved on to do something else. However, this got me thinking about leadership types in general, and about what makes a leader great.

I started thinking about great leaders during chaotic or stressful times. It's a fact that good and bad things happen to all people. Stress can be caused by a variety of things. It's crazy to think that everything will go smoothly every day. There are times where leadership will be easy and times it will be difficult. Leading yourself, your family, your team, your colleagues through change, crisis, uncertainty or chaos is inevitable at some point of your life or your career. 

Here are some great leadership tips to focus on during turbulent times:

Lead yourself first. Lead by example. Remain calm, and fearless in the storm. Try not to get emotional or defensive.  This will only intensify the situation. Great leaders are often praised for remaining calm under pressure. Great leaders keep a cool head even when the situation provokes an emotional reaction. Great leaders also help everybody else stay calm and contribute to the team with rational and objective input rather than emotionally laden statements. They achieve this through self-awareness and active listening skills, both of which can be developed though practice. One of the characteristics of a strong leader is grace under pressure. It’s the ability to control one’s own emotions, and the ability to help others remain level-headed when emotions are at a risk of rising. The key is handling pressure without panic.

Be empathetic. Consider the realities that others are feeling in the given moment. Try to see a situation from another person's point of view. Who is impacted, how are they impacted? Put yourself in their shoes. When you understand what others are going through, you can make the best decision for everyone. Approaching a situation with empathy will help develop an open communication environment where everyone feels safe, reducing additional unnecessary stress.

Listen first. Be an active listener and encourage feedback and suggestions. By listening you learn what motivates others, what concerns them, and how they view themselves. You will actively build trust, which leads to increased confidence, satisfaction, productivity, collaboration and ultimately engagement. 

Diffuse any drama. With any situation or crisis there is typically some drama. Understand that in difficult times we may try to calm others down simply with logic alone. However, we must be aware that times of crisis heighten emotions in people, and naturally decrease a person's capacity for logic during stressful times. Validate the person's emotions through empathy and listening.  Then seek to engage in a more logical, rational conversation and focus on problem solving. 

Seek to respond, not react. Experienced leaders don’t let their emotions and egos get in the way. High emotions can cause you to react or retaliate in kind. That’s the fastest way to turn a simple solution into a bad deal, or a bad situation into a worse, untenable one.

Get the facts first. Then respond based on the said facts. When more info presents itself, re-evaluate, reassess and re-approach. 

Try to see the situation as a challenge, not a crisis; or simply as pressures, not as stress. Understand the difference between 'stress' and 'pressure'. While it is generally accepted that 'stress' is a bad thing, how you deal with it can often bring about success. Understand that the path to success or achievement often requires a certain amount of 'stress' along the way. On the other side, 'pressure' itself isn't always looked at as a bad thing. It often is seen as a requirement in most people to perform optimally. Without any pressure there is a tendency to be bored or procrastinate. Why is it most people flail when crisis occur, but that we like a good challenge? It's all in your perspective. 

Maintain a controlled and balanced approach. Take time to reflect and assimilate the situation. This can reduce stress and improve clarity. This may involve the need to temporarily remove yourself from the situation, either physically or mentally in order to think clearly.

Simplify and prioritize. Focus in on the things that matter the most. What moves the needle? Take strategic actions. The act of doing something to resolve the situation will reduce the pressure that is felt by everyone.  

Focus on your desired outcomes. Find order in chaos and maintain clarity of thought. Keep everyone focused on the end goal and ensure everyone is aligned toward what needs to get done. Work to ensure the focus isn't on what is going wrong, but rather on what is going right.

Prepare yourself. Expect the unexpected, and prepare yourself for its possibility. You are much less likely to be stressed about something if you were expecting it in advance. This is not saying that you should worry about everything that 'could', or 'might' happen.  Rather maintaining an understanding that it is possible. Understand that in 'crunch time' you may be required to take leadership to another level. Be ready to step up your game. If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail. 

Demonstrate realistic optimism. Ally a positive mental attitude with a realism that sometimes things don't always go as planned. Those setbacks should be dealt with individually as a lesson learned.  But stay optimistic about where you are headed.  It's important to be reassuring to others, but make sure it is realistic and truthful. 

Stay positive and celebrate successes along the way. Reinforce good behavioral patterns. Recognize and reward progress.

Remember the importance of practicing self-care throughout, even if it is only for a few minutes at a time. Stay active and healthy. Multiple studies have shown that physical exercise not only reduces stress but also improves concentration by reducing unnecessary anxiety, leading to better decisions. This will help to put you in a peak mental state to be able to manage yourself and others through the situation.

Leadership in turbulent times could be stressful, eye-opening, and even life-changing. When you use empathy, practice self-awareness, self-care and act with a strong response, you get better at managing the tough times. So when those stressful situations show up (and they will), be the leader who runs towards the crisis, instead of away from it.

Make today great!

Curtis

"Nothing gives a person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances."  -  Thomas Jefferson