Please remain CALM!

Leaders are often placed, either by choice or by life, into situations that require them to remain calm; at least of mind.

My 2nd son was born recently and due to lack of sleep and the excitement of his birth I was a bit short with my firstborn boy.

I did not yell or scream but there was a moment when the dynamite wick was lit and I had to extinguish it.

I started my thinking: what should a leader do when the stress is elevated and the serenity is diminishing? I do not have all the answers but here are a few that work for me:

• Walk. Take a walk away from the situation even if the walk is only five minutes. Taking a mental break in this way has really calmed me 
• Listen to soft music. Rock music might be legendary but it does not calm the savage beast. Listen to some calming music and calm the mental stress
• Exercise often. Exercising has been shown to reduce stress and increasing an overall feeling of "things are good". 
• Read/write. Taking a break to read a book or pen one's thoughts can be a great reliever of stress and wanting to lash out against someone
• Sleep/nap. We are most likely to react poorly when we are not rested properly. The answer: make resting a priority. 

Leading is not easy and blowing up at someone is not an ideal situation. Remaining calm of mind can be a differentiation between the good leaders and the great ones. So...be a great leader and remain calm. 

Seeing it in Action

"Do as I say, not as I do."

How sad that many leaders lead in speech only and not by actions.

Leaders need to guide those following by being an example. They should be a map of how to do things with character and ethics.

They should also be a guide to avoid traps, pitfalls, and foolish decisions.

Imagine what the world would be like if leaders led with the intent of seeing others reach their goals and destinations.

Sadly, some fear being overtaken and become more like a roadblock and/or traffic jam. They see being overtaken as a sign of weakness instead of an accomplishment. They see themselves in a sprint instead of on a relay team.

However, great leaders leave a map so that they can create a legacy of developing great leaders. Be a great leader and highlight the route to success for others. In this way your legacy will continue to live and grow and your map will be wrinkled from use; not decay.

Helping Hand

Sometimes a leader simply needs to offer a helping hand. This simple act says more that is often realized.

Reach out to someone day. Offer a helping hand for one day you may need a helping hand yourself. The hand that is offered to you may be the same one you once lifted.

Sleep

Sleep.

We need to sleep. It helps us to heal, recharge, be mentally acute, and influences our overall health. Experts suggest between seven and nine hours of sleep a day for adults. However, many live as though sleep gets in the way of progress.

"I'll sleep when I'm dead."

I have heard such quotes before and see the affects that such a mentality has on that person. I want to respond with "Keep up that lifestyle and you'll be sleeping sooner than you want."

Sleep is vital to our lives and it is vital to being a good leader. When a leader is rechrage and ready for the day, that energy is felt by others. I have felt energize by being around people that have energy.

The opposite is also true. Being around an energy-draining person is exhausting. It is as if a vacuum is sucking the life right from the cells in our bodies. I wonder if that lack of sleep may be the cause of some of this lackluster person.

A leader must recognize how sleep affects him/her and make an effort to get enough rest. Taking a nap for a couple of hours has worked for some. Others schedule sleep for the same time each day and are very careful to not let unnecessary items interfere with sleep. Find what works and stick to it.

People need leaders at their best. Sleep as if your leadership depends on it: because it does.

See Michael Hyatt's post on sleep. 

Guiding vs Managing

When some people think of leadership they can sometimes call to mind the most common positions which includes managers.

Managers have their place and are needed. However, what can sometimes happen is that management is focused on the bottom line rather than personnel development.

I prefer the term guiding. In this line of thought, the goal is development and growth. It is not about the bottom line as that should come with better development.

Rather, it is about developing people to reach their full potential. It is about friendship and love. "I want to see you succeed so I will do what I can to help you get there." If that was the motivation for management, just imagine the company loyalty that would be produced.

Leadership: add a little of difficulty

Leadership can often be difficult. While being a leader can be difficult itself, working with others can be a great challenge as well.

I am the father of a 16 month old (see photo) and my little guy had a health problem last night. We were not quite sure what it was but we gave him a few things and he seems to be much better this morning.

That incident caused me to think about leadership. My son was not happy that we had to give him some things; not happy at all. However, without any aid his problems would not be alleviated and he would still suffer.

Leadership may require some tough love towards those they are leading. There may be resistance and perhaps even aggressive opposition. However, a leader knows something is wrong and that action must be taken.

In some cases that might mean having to move someone to a different division. It might also mean have to dismiss someone.

Conflict has a history of being stressful, strenuous, and hurtful. While there are ways to handle conflict correctly and have the injury lessened this does not guarantee an easy situation. A leader must enter the conflict have a purpose of seeing growth. With that heart attitude, hopefully all see the benefit and appreciate the resolution.

My son did not thank me for what I did last night. He most likely never will. However, he does enjoy feeling better. A leader may not be appreciated at first but hopefully they will in the future.