Winning and success: there’s no better experience in business and life
Leaders don’t hide behind closed doors when the going gets tough. The most successful leaders jump into the fray, working alongside their team.
Fear can be a crippling sensation. You may be concerned about your status with the company or how this bout of adversity will impact you personally, but find a way to dial down your fears and ease those of your team. Unexpected adversity and setbacks happen. It’s not so much a question of ‘if’ but ‘when.’ But the biggest issue is how people react.
You may be challenged, you might need to field a barrage of complaints and queries you’re unequipped to handle, and you may find yourself, by virtue of your leadership, the target of team angst. Deal with it.
If you avoid being with your team when the chips are down, you risk losing everything you worked so hard to achieve. Your team begins to doubt your authority, you lose respect, and their trust in you can be damaged. Keep communication open and stay by their side. After the storm passes, you’ll be that much more respected as a leader who didn’t abandon the team.
Wouldn’t it be awesome if your life, in and out of work, were a series of successful outcomes, motivating and inspiring you along the way? But, as we all know, bad things happen to good people, and at some point, adversity is unavoidable. Misfortune, failing, and going up against seemingly insurmountable odds aren’t the most appealing aspects of being in leadership. However, they are part of the package.
Stay focused on your purpose
When the chips are down, reiterate and reinforce the value of your mission. This underscores your belief that your goal has a purpose. The bumps on the road, or mountains you must cross, cannot prevent your ultimate success in achieving that which you believe has a purpose.
For yourself, you may be unsure or even doubtful about what will work in this instance. But by setting a tone of positivity and perseverance, you’ll reassure those around you. Show others that in spite of the circumstances, you are unstoppable and you’ll find yourself lifted by their confidence in you.
Human nature dictates a tendency to fixate on the negative. No matter where you are, the office, coffee shop, in line at the grocery store, or even at a casual dinner party, someone will inevitably start up a conversation or dialogue of discontent, and others around you chime right in. Prevent this reaction by keeping an optimistic attitude. This will go a long way in motivating employees to keep working towards goals and push them to find ways to solve problems instead of complaining and losing hope. It’s your job to be the motivator and to encourage your team to find value in their work, stay focused on the positive, and do their very best to stay away from fixating on adversity. Try keeping yourself and those around you calm, inspired, and rising to new heights, especially when the chips are down.
Focus on what you can gain as a team by rising to the challenges before you. Take on new perspectives, develop skills, and use them to build your team’s resilience. Make sure you walk the walk right along with your team or focusing on the benefits won’t be seen as a valid option.
Do not lower your standards
Be mindful of the methods. You need to incorporate to continue toward your goal and success, but most importantly, form a plan and stick closely to it. Move your team forward. This is what’s in your control and will help you set the tone for your team.
Even though you seem to be in the midst of a storm that’s shaking your foundation, keep moving ahead, against the wind, with eyes on the prize. When you’re facing challenges individually or as part of a team, you may be tempted to lower the bar. It might seem easier to achieve a less lofty goal or to ask less of your staff in view of the difficult times.
While it is necessary to lift the collective spirits of your team during difficult times, lowering your expectations can have a somewhat demoralizing effect. Be empathetic, but continue to expect your team to rise above, thinking and working smarter as you surmount the seemingly insurmountable. This can empower everyone involved.
Tie and keep all together
If you don’t promote a cohesive team environment, the proverbial united front, then these challenging times can have a disastrous impact on the future of your team and the company.
The more difficult the circumstances, the more you’ll find an attitude of every person for himself or herself. Use your leadership skills to encourage team members to look beyond themselves. Let them observe your commitment to the team by putting your own self-interests aside. You’re stronger together, so lead by example.
During these difficult times. Don’t neglect to treat your team to some fun. Whether you plan an evening of dinner and drinks, attend a local sporting event, or just grab a pizza in the break room and share some laughs together. Your team and you will come back a little lighter and a little less anxious, ready to give it their all and make the best of things. As the saying goes, tough times don’t last, but tough people do, and that applies to teams made tougher and stronger by adversity. Tough times are a part of everyone’s life experiences. Think of adversity as a measure of greatness.
Embrace the challenge as an opportunity to demonstrate your leadership abilities and build your reputation as “one of the great ones”. The more you build these abilities, the more effective you will be at handling whatever life throws your way.
So what about you? Which one of these traits helps you most when set setback occurs? Which one do you most need to work on?
