Facing Fear and Uncertainty: some simple tips

Here are 5 super- simple, but powerful tips for leading through these times of Covid19 uncertainty and fear. These are drawn from my 20 years of coaching business leaders– including through the Year 2000 IT fears, the burst of the dot.com bubble, 9/11 and the 2007 banking crisis:

1. Get support. We are a social species. Who can you safely vent to? Who can give you a neutral sounding board? Cheerleader support? Now is the time to tap into your peer network, or your Non Exec Directors or your (*spoiler alert* self-serving suggestion:) Coach. This is especially important if you are a leader. People will be consciously and unconsciously looking to you for cues on how to think, feel and act. That’s tough, so make sure you have your own ‘safe’ network to call on.
2. Take a break. I'm not being soft and fluffy. This is because the ancient, caveman bits of our brain run the show when we are feeling stressed – we physiologically lose access to our ‘sensible thinking’ bit.  Take simple breaks: a 5 minute walk round the block; 5 deep breaths out (the in breaths takes care of themselves), a 5 minute meditation (I love the app ‘10% Happier’ – and no, I’m not earning any affiliate fees etc, that’s a straight up recommendation).
3. Get multiple viewpoints. It’s easy to get stuck in groupthink. With the benefit of hindsight, people look back and marvel at the 'naivety' of thinking WWI would be over by Christmas, or conversely laugh at people fearing Armageddon at what turned out to be the ‘non-event’ of the Year 2000 IT fears. BUT at the time those prevailing views were eminently sensible. To avoid groupthink, ask ‘what if?’ Model scenarios. Think through worst case AND best case AND middling scenarios – ie don’t get unconsciously stuck in one avenue of thinking. [For example, at the time of writing, Hubei province is reporting only 8 new cases of Covid19, but this is (understandably) buried under headlines about Trump's travel ban].
4. Build beliefs what have you got through in the past? Make a list of at least ten storms you have weathered. It’s funny how we forget how much challenge we’ve endured and lived to tell the tale: Moving from junior school to big school, starting our first job, surviving a break up, childbirth, a tough time at work. We also forget how much we’ve grown, learnt, or benefited from challenge in the past. E.g. This might sound desperately cheesy, but I can look back and honestly say that when I was made redundant post 2007 it created fantastic opportunities. Incredibly difficult at the time, but ultimately brilliant. What similar references do you have?
5. Control the controllables. Consciously switch from ‘what if’ thinking to then asking, ‘what’s inside my control?’ When it’s raining, we put on a cagoule and a brolly and get on with it. We don’t go out in a bikini and whinge. The double whammy benefit is that not only are we doing something useful, we are also focusing our attention away from what we can’t control (the storm cloud) and towards progress. Again, I'm not being glib. As the parent of an ADHD child pondering how you heck I'm going to work from home if schools shut, the daughter of an 83 year old dad with a lung condition, and an NED for a company heavily involved in mass gatherings... I'm absolutely controlling the controllables. Good luck controlling yours.

I've had some amazing support through tough times in the past and I want to pay it forward. If you'd like a no-strings-attached-no-charge coaching call to address your fears and uncertainties, get in touch through my website: https://harrietbeveridge.com/. First come first served, NHS folks jump the queue. (Apologies in advance if you hear a child pinging off the walls in the background...)