5 Essentials for Leaders in Uncertain Times
Your days are so busy that sometimes you wonder where the time went. You want to be the best for your team, for your family and for yourself. Yet there is a whole lot coming at you everyday, especially in these constantly changing and uncertain times. Being the leader you want to be starts with asking yourself different questions, questions that will power your day and not derail it.
Here are five essential areas for your questions:
Remember What Matters Most - Play it forward to the end of the day when your head is finally hitting the pillow. What do you want to be able to say about what happened today? What’s the one thing that will matter most at the end of this day?
Be Mindfully Present - The day will be a painful blur if your thoughts are worrying in the future or ruminating in the past. The quickest way to access calm is to connect back with your body and be right where your feet are. This will also help you show up present and engaged for those around you. Ground yourself with an intentional time of deep breathing. Wiggle your toes or roll your shoulders, or give yourself a hug. Ground yourself by noticing your surroundings through this exercise. What’s one thing you can do to be present right now?
Focus Your Attention on What you can Control - Many things will happen today that you can’t control…client issues, drama at home, a global pandemic, the weather, and the list goes on. Focus on what you can control and leave the rest behind. Ask yourself What can I control? What am I trying to control that isn’t mine to deal with? What do I need to let go of? I love the wisdom of the Serenity prayer that closes out 12-step meetings around the world: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference."
Focus Your Feelings - Feeling are a part of life and we have them all day long. You can notice and direct your feelings or you can be a victim of them. To gain that upper hand of your feelings, first notice what emotion you are feeling. Name it so that you aren’t stuffing and ignoring it. You may want to give some self-compassion in the moment. Life is hard and most people in your situation would be feeling the same way. Now how would you want to feel instead? What can you do toward that? Going back to what matters most today and what you value, what’s one step toward that? Gratitude is a tool to help you stay focused on what you have vs. what you don’t. What can you choose to be grateful for? It might be small, but gratitude changes your brain chemistry in a good way.
Ask Better Questions Today:
WHO - Who matters most to me today? What conversations do I want to have with them? What interactions do I want to have with them? How can I express appreciation or kindness to them today?
HOW - How do I want to show up to my day and my interactions? As the stressed, hurried, curt, not present leader? Or as the engaged, connected, focused leader? You get to choose this everyday.
WHAT - What’s one next step I can take? I can’t do it all today, but I can make progress today toward what matters most.
Asking these questions will change your day, for good. You’ll have a better day, and a better tomorrow. What’s one next thing you can do?
