Leadership and Reaching Out to Those Who Are Struggling

Have you ever struggled? Did you know that leadership is about supporting and inspiring others to do more, achieve more, learn more and be more. Did you know we champion and love kindness, empathy and compassion in leadership – the superpowers of leadership! In turn, reminders to reach out come in different ways from the past, present-day events, working environments and from our own personal stories. In my case where I have been supporting my daughter especially as a teenager and now young adult, it can also provide support to teenagers and our future generations like Generation Z who will be our future leaders. How do we reach out to those who are struggling?

Over time through some of the adversity I have faced, I have developed a number of traits including tenacity, being incredibly passionate, kindness and generosity. In relation to leadership and what it means to you, it’s about knowing yourself inside out, and being confident within that person. Once you identify and further develop the skills that help you perform, you can intrinsically encourage the same behaviours in others. It’s simple but once you display attitudes of leadership you find others around you can boost their own confidence and the whole group improves and works towards their goals.

Leadership skills are so important, even if you don’t want to be in a leadership position? Well that’s just it, the biggest misconception about ‘leadership’ is that it is a role or title and that you must be in one of these positions to benefit from leadership qualities, but it’s not about that at all. In fact anyone can develop his or her leadership skills because it’s about your attitude and how to then apply it to any situation around you. It’s about developing your emotional intelligence to be able to quickly adjust, take control of your own thoughts and also help others do the same, even if they’re your superiors or equals. In turn, great leadership is about serving others. You don’t have to be the leader in the room to be a great role model.

I get asked about leadership qualities a lot. Things as simple as having confidence and having a calm yet enthusiastic attitude are obviously leadership qualities but it goes beyond this. It is also about understanding how others learn, and being able to make work engaging for a variation of different personalities. Leaders need to develop their emotional intelligence so they can better understand and ‘decode’ their peers in order to increase effectiveness. It’s also important to constantly manage your own skills. Meaning, it’s easy for leaders to become power hungry over time, so you need to develop skills of checking in with yourself and constantly critique how you think you’re performing and adjust accordingly. Of course things don’t always go to plan either, so leaders also need qualities of resilience and patience as well as the ability to read and engage with others.

My book, Leadership Attitude is also a great reminder on how to reflect on all aspects of leadership qualities.

Have you ever struggled? I recall when I was a teenager, times that were really challenging like it is for a lot of teenagers especially today. Something in particular that I struggled with when I was growing up was that I used to be called “Sonia, Sonia, Study head” and kids would tease me and say, “all you do is study”. Which seems normal now, but I used to get picked on a lot for that. And I grew up in a world without social media too! Imagine what it is like today....! Gosh I even someone also once called me “Moby Dick-SON” because I was a bit chubby. It’s unfortunately pretty common to be called names at school, but the thing that helped me were my friends. When other people had a go at me, I always had amazing friends – it’s important to be emotionally surrounded by people that have similar values. Some of those friends are still here today and they have stuck around for 36 years! It just goes to show, it really is important to make sure you have the right people around you.

I didn’t always know what wanted to do when I was younger. Initially, I wanted to be a teacher and a lot of people told me not to do it. And at the time I listened to them. It was a tough situation because my dad lost his job and we were struggling, so even if I hadn’t listened to others, I couldn’t afford university anyway. At the time I was angry that I couldn't take the career path I wanted however now I am grateful as I am so in love with what I am doing today.

I would 100% say to our younger generation who aren’t quite sure what they want just yet either not to stress too much! You just have to put yourself out there and explore different things and see what happens. It’s also very important to talk to people and explore opportunities. In the long run, building contacts will help you to explore your options and find what you like so you should never be afraid to talk to people.?

I have also experienced others doubting my ability and today I coach, speak to and meet some many others that constantly have the imposter syndrome. I find I can sometimes even doubt myself. I call them “Ants” which are ‘Automatic Negative Thoughts’, and they always find a way to get into your brain. It’s very normal for everyone to experience these thoughts, but when you do, you need to train your mind for dealing with them. You need to learn how to acknowledge them and then move on. And once you learn what works for you, you will succeed. It is very common for anyone to experience self-doubt and I truly think it’s about establishing a balance between confidence and competence - and courage. When you find others doubt you or even worse you doubt yourself - count to five and say some awesome affirmations. When you change the frame, you change the game.

Something I know now that I wished I knew as a teen is………….not to worry what other people think or say and to ask for help. The only person that matters is you. It’s about what you think of yourself and what you say to yourself. Again, I believe you need to surround yourself with great people who believe in you. I wish I knew that earlier. When I think about where I am today I wonder why it took me so long to get here, and it’s believe I didn’t believe in myself earlier!

My advice for anyone who thinks “I don’t want to be a leader” is leadership is not a title or role, it’s an attitude you can apply to any situation. It’s more about behaviour and being supportive and knowing how to control the controllable. As far as I am concerned, everyone is a leader. Please be a leader and start seeing yourself as a leader. Also offer and ask for help!

Chris Wilton-Jones, FIVER founder indicates that FIVER exists as a team, reaching out to those that are struggling, as we appreciate the struggles we have been through. Life can be tough to us at times, both emotionally and financially, and sometimes we just need a little helping hand (though not all of us feel brave enough to ask). This is where FIVER comes in. We want to help those struggling, and we are hoping you will stand beside us to do so. For only a FIVER ($5.00 a week, month, one-off)—the cost of a coffee—we can all help those currently struggling.

“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness.”

–?Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Chris continues by saying that we know there are so many charities and organisations out there doing amazing things, and there are so many people out there that want to help. However, that’s often where the confusion begins: Who should you support? We will rely on your suggestions, as well as suggestions provided to us, in order to find out where FIVER donations may be most needed in our community. Perhaps it is providing new blankets and warm food for those who currently find themselves living on the streets, giving a young child the opportunity to go to school camp, or helping a young widow in their time of need. And then, as funds grow, you will decide by means of voting (using the Facebook voting system) exactly where the donations will be spent that week/month. Once voting has taken place, we here at FIVER will go out and meet those needs in the community with the funds.

Hally Goldstein, contributor in Yahoo lifestyle says, please, never hesitate to reach out. A kind word, a simple text saying, “I’m here,” is all it takes. Don’t let your hesitation of saying the “wrong” thing stop you. It’s better to say something then nothing at all. Realise there are people struggling around you, even years or decades after they hit a bump on the road. Give them grace and space, but don’t forget them. I hope to do the same for you.

Reach Out shows what to do when someone close to you needs help but doesn’t want to accept it. Find out why the people you care about don’t always seek help when they need it. And get some tips on how to support them, including knowing what to do when things get really serious, such as:

• you know someone is going through a tough time
• you’re feeling frustrated because you can’t help them
• you need some tips on how to be there during tough times.

If things are really getting to someone you care about, it’s important to understand that making a decision to seek help can be a tough thing for them to do. Coming around to the realisation that they're going through a rough patch can be scary and difficult, so it's understandable that they may take some time before deciding to seek help.

If your offers of advice and support are being rejected, you may feel like you’re powerless to do anything. But you can still be there for your friend or colleague; you might just need to take a different approach to the way you’re supporting them.

• Be available
• Offer help
• Become informed
• Talk to someone yourself
• Set boundaries
• Don’t force the issue or put pressure on them
• Don’t avoid them

While, in most circumstances, it's a good idea to give a friend time to come around to the idea of seeking help, if you think someone is in danger or is at risk as a result of what’s going on, it’s important that you?seek help immediately.

Talkspace indicates that when you’re feeling down in the doldrums, chances are good you’ll respond one of two ways. You might barricade yourself inside your home, not wanting to speak to anyone. Or you may reach out to friends, unloading your worries on their listening ears. Neither approach is wrong. Whichever way you naturally gravitate, it may be difficult to understand those who act differently than you do when they’re feeling fragile. If you hunker down, you might be amazed by your boyfriend, who likes to jabber out his anxieties. And talkers might be confused by their best friend, who disappears for weeks when she’s feeling down.

In my book First Comes Courage, I take stock of the?Courage Compass?— an introspective intervention primed to help people struggling to find their inner courage by rendering insights into your belief, behaviour, and value system against the four pillars of Courage: Kindness, Purpose, Resilience, and Impact. Kindness, Courage, Impact and reaching out to others will change our world, theirs and yours. Make sure you call into your inner courage and take care of yourself...and others if they are struggling. That's Leadership.

Finally, how can I help you?

And talk to yourself like someone you love!

Write down 5 ways you could reach out to others -

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2.??……………………………………………………………………..?

3.??……………………………………………………………………..?

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5.??……………………………………………………………………..

By?Sonia McDonald?– CEO Of?LeadershipHQ?And?McDonald Inc.?Leadership Coach, Global Keynote Speaker, Entrepreneur, CEO And Award Winning Author.

When Sonia speaks, everyone in the room feels like she is having a conversation with them as her audience will feel as if they are the only one in the room. She speaks from the heart. She is brave. She wants everyone to be brave. She is an impactful and motivational leadership expert and speaker that creates a life-changing experience. People call Sonia sassy, inspirational, real and a speaker who leaves a lasting impression. Her high-energy, authenticity and humour combined with actionable and practical advice, empowers her audience and provides them with great drive and confidence to take courageous action sand inspire great leadership in all aspects of their lives.

She is also a renowned and award-winning author, having written several of her own books, Leadership Attitude, Just Rock It! and First Comes Courage as well as being a regular contributor in The Australian, HRD Magazine, Smart Healthy Women and Women’s Business Media. She was named as one of the Top 250 Influential Women in the world as well as Top 100 Australian Entrepreneurs by Richtopia.

Through her leadership advisory and coaching work at LeadershipHQ, and founding the Outstanding Leadership Awards, Sonia is internationally recognised as an expert in leadership and culture, organisational development, neuroscience, kindness, and courage.

She is also a full-time single parent and has a passion for women in business and teenage mental health. Sonia travels and speaks across Australia and Globe, and she is on a mission to building a world of great leaders and leadership.

Contact Sonia at -

Phone - 1300 719 665

Email - [email protected]

Website - https://soniamcdonald.com.au/