Leadership and "Grace under Pressure"

"Man is affected not by events but by the view he takes of them." - Seneca

In a business and in life in general, everyone runs into adversity. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.

The philosophy of Stoicism leans on the concept that the impact of things that happen to you in life are entirely up to you. Your attitude guides your reaction, and affects the way you deal with an issue.

Emotional responses are natural for everyone when it comes to receiving "bad" news. We all get that quick surge of adrenaline when something unexpected or perceived as 'bad' happens to us. The person who follows the principles of Stoicism, upon getting that initial 'jolt', processes what happened and looks at it indifferently. They recognize it is neither good or bad, it just 'is'. This gives them a sense of calm and "grace under pressure", allowing them to deal with negative situations with a clear head and good judgment to discover a solution.

So how does this relate to business or leadership you ask? This concept of dealing with adversity void of an emotional and reactionary response is an important skill to possess, in some degree, by all leaders. Think back to bosses you've had throughout your career, or to other leaders, political or otherwise, and which of them you felt had things 'under control'.

Did you have confidence in the highly emotional and volatile leader, or the grounded and thoughtful leader?

Question: How do you respond to adversity in the workplace? Do you allow the 'jolt' of emotional energy cloud your judgement and make you reactionary? And how does this 'feel' to people in your organization? Or are you able to remain calm and instill a sense of confidence for others on your team?

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A former professional Ironman triathlete and coach, Jacobson has over 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur, small business owner and corporate team leader. He now mentors and coaches other leaders about how to grow personally and professionally. Learn more at www.troyjacobson.com