How to stay calm in the eye of the hurricane

I have often experienced situations where bad business news has upset some people so much that they were not able to work effectively for quite a few hours or even days. Frequently, even more than by the news itself, some people were distressed due to how they found out about it. I was not immune to this either, of course, and bad news often completely unsettled me. And in situations where I also felt that gloating over the misfortunes of others was involved I nearly gave in to rage. These reactions are good for neither the leader nor the people they lead. Co-workers observe you and, even though you try not to comment, they can deduce from your behaviour that something is wrong and it also affects them.

In today's VUCA world, however, unfavorable information flows even faster. That is why staying calm in difficult business situations is something we need to practice consciously. It is crucial not to take situations personally or see them as being too important, which often happens when you are involved emotionally. The best way is to tackle situations without feeling pressure, but rather with a relaxed attitude and curiosity, and strove to seek as optimal a solution as possible.

We can use the effect of non-verbal communication to our advantage. We influence our thoughts and behaviour with our own body posture. And a change in behaviour can lead to different results. So it is important to pay attention to our non-verbal communication because by consciously controlling our posture we can influence how we think and feel about ourselves. Scientists have determined that as little as two minutes of consciously assuming a different posture can trigger a change in thinking. So, lift your head, put a smile on your face, and soon your mood will change from bad to good.

You need to train to be resilient to news so that it never unsettles you, no matter how bad it is. Learn how to rapidly switch between different situations as well as the emotions and moods connected therewith. Conscious breathing, or an intentional shift from unconscious, autonomic breathing to a controlled activity, helps to quickly adapt to the situation right here and now. Then you can laugh, think back to an encouraging, inspiring event from the past and you are ready to move forward.

A great way to preserve your inner peace are walks in the forest. They need to be long enough to ?allow you to calm down, and then relax.

Leadership does not mean leading merely in good times. Every situation is natural and we need to make something out of it. No situation is hopeless if a person is ready for it. Spiritual intelligence is a great support to transform difficult stories on the material level and derive from them the potential for self-renewal.

Spiritual intelligence also supports you in understanding that every experience, no matter the outcome, yields an abundance of new insights. When you truly want to contribute all that you can and do everything in your power, you need to also be aware that not everything is in your hands, that an organisation is stronger than an individual, and that nature is even stronger.