Posts tagged “resilient leaders” (Page 4)

Any new adventure brings with it an element of uncertainty. The future could hold many different things, some good and some bad. Unfortunately, uncertainty about things to come, along with deeply rooted fears often get in the way of a person’s ability to excel. Fear of failure, fear of success and fear of loss are all common obstacles to success. Here are some ways to face your fears so these don’t get in your way of doing your best.

1. Consider the worst possible scenario. Often, the worst possible scenario is really not all that bad. Face, for example, your fear of failure simply by imagining what it will be like if you fail. What will you lose? What will you learn? How will this failure put you in an even better position to succeed next time? Often, the worst possible outcome is not really as bad as we imagine it might be.

2. Consider the best possible outcome. Be sure to consider, on the other hand, what life will be like if the best possible scenario occurs. Are you afraid of too much success? Do you fear that it will make you more vulnerable to others taking advantage of you? Do you fear being in the spotlight?

3. Make a plan for taking action. It can be very difficult to move ahead with something you fear without having a plan. A plan helps to provide comfort that minimizes the uncertainty. Be honest about your fears, so that you can plan for the hesitation you’re sure to feel as you face them.

The most important step in facing your fears is acknowledging these and resolving that you will face them head on. Once you’ve verbalized what you’re afraid of, you are likely to see that it isn’t so daunting, after all. Both the best and worst possible scenario in any situation are fairly unlikely. The reality of life generally falls somewhere in the middle. Recognizing this truth and preparing for many different outcomes can help you to face your fears with confidence and ready you for the challenges ahead.

It’s very easy to get caught up in your own life and your business’ work. In fact, many successful leaders find their days completely full with work and family commitments. However, the most happiest and most successful people make time to give back to their community through some type of volunteer work, even though it may mean taking time away from work to do so.

A few stats…

12.5 Million Canadians volunteer every year
2.1 Billion is the number of hours that Canadians volunteer – that equals 1.1 million full time jobs

And that’s not all…
54% of all non-profit and charitable organizations have no paid staff…
73% of businesses either support or accommodate employee volunteering
95% of Canadians engage in at least one form of social support

1. Volunteering helps you see the bigger picture. When you work with a charitable organization by donating your time, you get a fresh perspective on the world. It helps you to move past the realities of your own little world and see other priorities in life.
2. Volunteering makes you feel good about what you do. No matter how many things you have to move around to make time to volunteer, you are certain to feel better about yourself, your life and your contributions to the world when you take the time to give something back. Research has even shown that people who volunteer live longer, healthier lives.
3. It helps you to make connections. The people you meet while volunteering can become some of your most important connections. These people may become an important part of your personal or business life. You’re likely to find that you meet a more diverse population of people when volunteering than you do through work, which helps you to enlarge your circle with different perspectives.

There are many different types of organizations looking for volunteers and many different types of roles to fill within these organizations. It is easy to find something that suits both your passion for others and your personality. Whether you work in your church, a local school or a charitable organization that caters to humans or animals, you’re certain to find that volunteering makes as big an impact on your life as it does on the community you serve.

Something interesting to note: Children and youth are more likely to become engaged citizens if they see someone they admire helping others including their parents or grandparents
So if you ever think that that you don’t make a difference – think again – you do – a BIG difference

Many things about our attitude help determine our success. However, our state of mind and view of the world may be one of the biggest determiners. All of us spend some of our time reminiscing about the past, and looking toward the future, all while living in the present. However, the wrong mix of these three times of your life can impede your success. Are you spending the right amount of focused on each time of your life?

• Your Past – Remembering your past offers many benefits. The lessons learned in your past can help guide you to better decisions today. Relationships formed in your past can be valuable today, and are part of what has shaped your personality. On the other hand, spending too much time in your past can be harmful. Thinking too much about who you used to be may prevent you from being everything you can be today. And, holding onto old ways of doing things can prevent you from learning new technology or improved techniques.

• Your Present – Your present is where your mind should be most of the time. This is where you experience your life, so be sure not to miss it. As you’re living your life, however, remember the lessons of your past and maintain the relationships you’ve had for years. In addition, remember to plan for your future. Many people think only about today, and fail to prepare for their life ahead. This can be especially true when it comes to money. Failing to plan for your financial future can make enjoying the present much more difficult later.

• Your Future– It is important to plan for your future. However, it is also important not to spend too much time waiting for your future to bring you happiness or prosperity. Many people have the mentality that they’ll be happy when they make their first million, or when they have the new car, or when they get married. Too much time spent focusing on something that hasn’t happened yet causes you to miss the happiness and opportunity that exists today.

Your past, your present and your future are all important parts of who you are and who you will become. Allow each of these times of your life to help you to be the best you can be today, and to prepare for being even better in the future.

“Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”  Corrie ten Boom, author

Business leaders always have lots going on, and are frequently faced with financial and other uncertainties. It’s only natural to worry about what the future holds. However, just because it is natural to worry doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. Worrying can cause the following problems:

• It shifts focus. Very often, when we worry, we are focused on things about which we have no control. This takes our focus off the activities we can control, which are those things that lead to our success in business and our personal life. Losing focus on these important activities can cause us lost business and opportunity.

• It steals our joy. When we are worried, we are constantly focused on the worst possible outcome of a situation. In reality, many situations will have the best possible outcome, and few will have the worst. In the meantime, while we’re worrying, however, we aren’t enjoying our life.

• It accomplishes nothing. Worrying doesn’t change the outcome of our situation. It simply makes us focus on it longer.

Here are some ways to reduce the worry in your life.

• Think the situation through for a defined period of time. When something is bothering you, it can make you feel better to give it some attention. Once you consider the likely outcomes, you’ll probably discover that the situation is not as bad as you thought. Just be sure that you specify exactly how long you’ll spend thinking about the situation, and then move on.

• Take action. If there are things you can do to affect the outcome of the situation about which you’re worried; do them. Then, you can let go of the worry knowing you’ve taken every step possible to influence the outcome.

• Stay busy. Focus on positive activities. When you’re busy, you’ll worry less.

Everyone goes through periods of worry. To overcome these, it is important to take specific positive steps to prevent the worry from taking too much of your precious time and energy.

As a leader, you’re bound to face crises and emergencies from time to time. It is human nature to react with stress when faced with crises, whether real or imagined. Over time, you’ve likely learned to take certain steps to ensure quick and proper resolution to the crises you face. However, you may be missing the all-important first step to facing any stressful situation. For the purposes of this discussion, we’ll simply call that step “breathing”.

While we realize that stress doesn’t likely make you actually stop breathing, it can cause you to act in a panic mode, that creates additional stress on your body and that may cause you to make poor decisions. “Breathing” in this sense means taking a couple of important steps.

1. Slow down and take a minute. This part of the process really does involve taking a physical deep breath and slowing down for a second. In a panic, you’re likely to overreact due to an adrenaline rush. Slow down the adrenaline by physically calming your body. Take a walk, head to a quiet place for a few minutes, or listen to some music. Use whatever methods work to help slow your heart rate and calm your mind.

2. Think the situation through. Sometimes, it’s helpful to consider the worst possible outcome in a situation. Often, when you realize what the worst possible outcome could be, you’ll realize that the “crisis” isn’t really a crisis after all. If the worst possible outcome is very serious, you’ll know that you’re justified in reacting swiftly.

3. Consider multiple options. There are almost always several choices in how to handle a situation. Taking the time to consider several options before you make a choice helps ensure you take the best course of action. When you reach this phase, it’s often a good idea to discuss the options with someone else. When you’re stressed, you may not see all the pros and cons of each decision.

Sometimes, there is no perfect answer to a stressful situation. It is important to accept your own decisions and move forward from them.

Stressful situations can paralyze leaders. However, when these situations are handled calmly and effectively, leaders build resilience and credibility with others. The next time you’re faced with a stressful situation, take a minute to “breathe” and see if you find that the situation isn’t really as stressful as you first imagined.

Sometimes, we’re our own worst enemy. We often set ourselves too many higher standards than those we create for others. As we work to become more resilient, we have to learn to tackle that internal critic, just as we tackle the external ones. Here are some things to focus on if you want to make best use of your internal critic.

1. Listen objectively. When you criticize yourself, are you using the same measurements you would for others, or do you criticize yourself much more harshly? You won’t build resilience by being overly critical. Rather, you will wear yourself down, just as you would wear down others by being too critical of them. Don’t ignore the things you need to change, but recognize that we all have things we need to change.

2. Learn and move on. Don’t dwell on mistakes and failures. If these have provided you an opportunity to grow and improve, then count them as lessons and move on to the next task.

3. Track your improvement over time. One way to keep your inner critic in check is to take a look at how your habits, skills and behaviors have changed over time. If you’re constantly improving, then the mistakes you’ve made have all been for good.

4. Start each day fresh. Don’t go into today harboring yesterday’s mistakes. See each morning as a new beginning. Focus on doing well today. This will not only make you more resilient and increase your chances of success, but it will increase your mood and demeanor with others, too.
5. Share. Use your mistakes and lessons to help others. This is the mark of a true leader. It also helps you to cope with your mistakes better because you can see your lessons teach others, too.

We all make mistakes, and many of us judge ourselves too harshly. When you attack your goals with realistic expectations, and a desire to learn from every experience, you’ll become more resilient and more successful,too.

Nobody likes to be criticized. It is normal to feel defensive when receiving feedback that is negative. However, for most of us, negative feedback is bound to come, at least once in a while. Here are some tips to help you not only handle negative feedback, but benefit from it.

1. Consider the source. The first thing you should do is consider the source of your criticism. Is the person criticizing you doing so for your benefit, or is there some jealousy or axe to grind? Does the person criticizing you have power over you? Thinking through the other person’s motive is important in determining how much credence you should lend to the criticism. For example, if the criticism comes from your spouse, whom you love and trust, you are likely to want to repair whatever flaw is being pointed out. If the criticism comes from your boss, you may want to make changes, even if you believe the criticism is unfair, in order to keep your job in good standing.

2. Look at the criticism objectively. It can be very difficult to look at criticism objectively. However, looking for the true merit in negative comments is the only way to learn from them. If you can get past any offense you may have taken in the comment made, you may find a way to improve yourself.

3. Make changes as needed. When you recognize merit in criticism, use it to improve yourself. When you are able to make positive changes based on constructive criticism, you’ll find that you are making constant improvement in yourself professionally and personally. This helps you to grow and achieve more and more goals.

It takes resilience to put negative criticism to good use. However, you’ll find that the more you look at criticism objectively to make positive changes in your life, the more you’ll grow as a professional. And, the more you can see how criticism can improve you as a human being, the more willing you’ll be to listen to comments, even if these seem less than complimentary.

We all know that modern technology and systems can be a two edged sword. We love the efficiencies we gain for 90% of our time. However, when technology fails, our work can completely shut down, leaving us frustrated and unable to complete even the most basic tasks. As a leader, it is critical to remain calm in the face of technology that isn’t working the way we expect. Here are some tips to help you through it.

1. Have a plan. Even if technology failures are few and far between in your business, it is important to have a plan for how you’ll handle them then these occur. Make a list of the “must do” tasks that have to be completed even in the event of a shutdown, and then create a manual process for completing these tasks. Since most shutdowns are short lived, it isn’t necessary to have a back up plan for everything. Know what can wait, and what can’t.

2. Make sure employees are trained. Even if you have the best back up plan, you’ll have chaos if employees can’t jump into action quickly when needed. Be sure employees receive training on how to do their jobs during failure, and be sure they know who is responsible for each critical task.

3. Keep updated. It’s easier to contain your frustration when you know the end is in sight. Keep up to date on the status of the problem, and report regularly to your employees. Stay calm and avoid getting too agitated about the problem. If you are calm, your employees will be too.

Knowing how to talk to customers in the event of a technology failure is critical. It is important that they not become alarmed, and that your employees not show their own frustration to the client. It is equally important that your employees set the right expectations with customers, and follow up promptly once technology is restored.
Technology failures can incite panic in even the calmest professionals. The key to remaining calm is having a plan and knowing how to execute that plan. A little planning ahead helps you prove just how resilient you can be in the face of a crisis.