How to Have Emotional Stamina

A Year of Fear

I know you know that the last year and a half has been full of fear, uncertainty and doubt. As a leader, it has been unprecedented (I know that word has been over-used, however, I can’t think of another way to say it). Psychologists and counsellors have never been busier. And now, with vaccination rates in most countries approaching the so-called ‘herd immunity’ level, we are starting to feel that we have weathered the storm. Still, it feels weird seeing people in shops without a mask and social distancing from each other.

What can we do as leaders to get off of the roller coaster ride we have been on? Well, the first thing is to give yourself a break. Stop being so hard on yourself. This has been hard on everyone – especially those in leadership positions. You may have made some mistakes – we all did. You may be fatigued – I get that. Your team will still have some split opinions about how fast we should get back to ‘normal’ (whatever that looks like).

Your Emotional Stamina

You know all of that. This blog though is about you and using the emotional stamina that you have been forced to develop over the last 18-months. Yes, whether you know it of not, you have built a very high level of emotional stamina and ability to carry on in the face of uncertainty.

Here is my list of tools that I have witnessed leaders I work with add to their Leadership Practice:

1. Grooving with Ambiguity. Ambiguity is a constant in our ever-changing world. Being able to thrive in an ambiguous environment is critical to success (and sanity). Remember, as a leader, you do not have to have all the answers. You just need to be able to discover resources that are everywhere to help give you understanding and your team direction.
2. Clarity of Direction. In times of uncertainty, teams need direction. I have seen leaders get very good at this. The cool part about pointing out ‘where we are going’ is that good teams then will jump in and help with ‘how’ are we going to get there.
3. Trust. With teams working virtually, I have seen leaders develop a higher level of trust in their employees, and that trust has paid off in terms of individuals working hard to deliver on objectives.
4. Positive Mindsets. When the pandemic first started, I saw leaders panicking about the uncertainty and what it meant to their business or department. Over time, I saw leaders adjust and become more optimistic as they saw ways to pivot all or part of their strategies.
5. Picking up the Pieces. When things went to shit (I can’t think of another way to say it), I saw leaders take a deep breath and keep moving forward.
6. Values Based Leadership. I have never seen more of focus in my time as a leader (some 40 years) on values and using them to guide decision making. Companies that have thrived and cultures within them that came together as ‘one team’ were the ones that used their values to guide how they did things. And… this can be especially hard when revenue or cost saving opportunities come into play – I have seen many leaders sacrifice profit to protect their values.

Moving Forward

What does all of this mean? Well, someone once said (and I have no idea who): “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” And I mean this from an emotional leadership perspective. You have weathered a hurricane. You are stronger emotionally than you may be giving yourself credit for.

Pat yourself on the back and carry on!

Robert Murray is a Vancouver, BC based Business Strategy Consultant, #1 Best Selling Author, International Keynote Speaker, and TEC Top Speaker of the Year for 2018. For further advice, insight and inspiration on how to unlock your inner leader, connect with Robert on LinkedIn.

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