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.