Domithla Nyachieo

Leaders and managers have a direct impact on the stress and anxiety levels of their staff. Whatever they say, feel, and do has a significant impact on their team’s emotional and physical well-being. And the more senior the leader, the more people he or she is likely to impact – both positively and negatively.

As a result, leaders must exercise extreme caution in how they act and speak. This is especially important during times of increasing uncertainty since we often seek leaders to steer us in the face of adversity, to provide direction and clarity and, most importantly, to give us reasons to be hopeful and optimistic.

Worried Leaders

We live in a world that stigmatises negativity and criticizes pessimism as if it were a psychological disorder. Indeed, pessimism is underappreciated since it assists leaders in detecting and preventing possible dangers, minimising risks, and avoiding arrogant as well as overconfident judgments. However, during tense and anxious times, leaders’ pessimism is much more likely to become a liability, demoralising others and increasing their already high anxiety levels.

This is why, even if you can’t uncover reasons to be optimistic, you should avoid showing open pessimism. Even if your natural reaction is negative, projecting this onto everyone else may exacerbate their anxiety. Controlling it and projecting calm and composure can help your employees. Remember that leadership is a gift you give to benefit others, not about you.

Calm leaders inspire greater trust and deliver better results. Employees are interested in knowing where they stand with their superiors. Managers who are calm rather than impetuous, agitated, or prone to rage are more likely to instil trust or loyalty in their staff because they know where they stand with them.

Try to Embrace Uncertainty Calmly.

Don’t be scared to acknowledge that you’re in an unfamiliar situation. It is not uncommon to confront new obstacles in today’s quickly changing corporate environment. If you’re stumped, it’s alright to admit to your team that you don’t have all the answers. It is critical, however, that you stay professional and calm, and that you promise your team that you will work together to find a solution.

The ability to remain cool in any situation is a valuable talent to have in your managerial toolkit. It will increase your people’s faith in you while also enhancing your capacity to make better judgments and think clearly under pressure. And this will serve you well in your leadership career.

As a leader, you must also have a sharp mind to keep ahead of the competition. Our online course has been expertly designed to assist you with this. To begin, click here.