Thanks to Sylva Leduc, Leadership Strategist for sharing (on Facebook) this article on how your Surge Capacity is currently depleted. The neutral zone is where we are and where we may be for a while. Working with clients this past month or three, I’ve been helping some of them see that the ‘new normal’ isn’t going to come around in any finite way for a while.
Though we’d like to be up on the other side of that Kübler-Ross curve, some of it right now is out of our control, so we have to do what we CAN control. Look for things WE CAN do and be as comfortable as we can with the ‘not knowing’ time.
It’s alien to us when we want a solution – that’s what we are tuned for – so this is tougher. Internalise what we can do and do less externalising what the rest of the world can (or should) do, because that just winds us up and wears us down.
You might have to be super-resourceful and creative (which in themselves might become the newer normal ‘you’. As an aside, improving your capabilities in the process) as you transfer the focus on what YOU can do.
That’ll help.
When you’re a leader you have two jobs. The first is the one above with yourself. The second is coaching, supporting, nurturing cajoling, bribing, whatever, your people to appreciate this issue too.
Just noticing when you’re externalising is the first step. Catch yourself, and reflect on what assets you can generate to take action yourself next time.
One. Step. At. A. Time.
Oh, and be gentle with yourself right now. That’s probably one of the best things you can do.
Previously published on LinkedIn
