Marcia's Leadership Q and As: Which Way Do Leaders Lead?

Q. Our teams are floundering with anxiety. How can we help?

A. Leaders and their teams are facing some uncertain times. There are methods and conversations to have to ease the uncertainty and coalesce toward your goals. 

Part of the method to deal with any stress and uncertainty is to name it and discuss it together. Whether you spend 15 minutes, three hours, or a day, having substantial conversations is a deterrent to the unknown. Together, remember you know a lot, articulate your goals, creatively decide together how to achieve them, and make your plan. 

Discuss what fears and challenges you face. By talking about them, you may be surprised how you can calm them because you address obstacles together. 

A relevant exercise is also to brainstorm about the leadership skills you have and what you aspire to. What do you need? How can you develop it together? Support how you can build your knowledge together. Perhaps it’s reading and sharing an article that is relevant to your organization or industry. Perhaps it’s taking a class or attending a conference. The more knowledge you build, the easier it is to tackle tough problems. 

The key is not to shirk the responsibilities you share or to hide from reality. The faster you put issues out on the table, the faster you can decide what your solutions will be. 

It’s helpful to also remember that tough times don’t linger. There are ups and downs in life and work. The key is to remember your goals, listen and support each other, communicate often and effectively. Find joy everyday in your life and work.