Being a leader in any field can be stressful. Not only are you responsible for your career trajectory, but you represent the company that you work for and have a team of men and women looking to you to set the example. One of the most challenging things to do as a leader is to remain calm in the face of great adversity. When the economy changes with little to no warning, you must find a way to stay calm and lead your team through the unknown.
You Don’t Always Have to React Immediately
Just because something shifts in the field in which you lead, you don’t have to react immediately. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with taking a day or two, collecting pertinent information, and responding from an informed position. It’s incredibly easy to fall into the trap of making drastic changes to an unexpected event. Still, if you don’t have all the information you need, you’ll probably end up having to make another change to fix what you messed up by not gathering information first.
Avoid the “What if’s”
If you spend all of your time reacting to the hypothetical, you’ll never be able to respond to the actual. While you do need to think out the cause and effects of your decisions, you’ll never be able to handle going over every possible scenario in your head. Not only that, but the team members who are looking to you for leadership shouldn’t be wasted by having to expend their time and energy by researching things that may not ever happen.
Find a Mentor
No matter what field you’re leading in, you’re probably not the first person to ever lead. Reach out to people who have already been there and done that. Even more importantly, find people who are willing to share their success stories as well as their failures with you. There is no better teacher than experience, and finding someone willing to impart their knowledge to you will allow you to remain calm in the face of adversity.
Go to Lunch
This sounds too simplistic, but it’s sound advice. If a stressful situation arises, take some time, even if it’s just an hour or two, to not think about it. It doesn’t mean that you’re not going to react; it just means you’re going to be in the right place mentally when you do.