Reflecting on the Past: What Old Windows Teach Us About Modern Leadership

We can lose our spark unintentionally when we have automatic thinking running in the background. Before we lead others, we need to lead ourselves and knowing ourselves. Knowing which thought to listen to and which to let go as it takes us down a rabbit hole is essential for your own peace of mind and energy. ?

Distorted thinking and a lack of insight is a sign of poor emotional intelligence and predicts poor outcomes for you as a leader.?

Traveling allows insight into how other cultures live. I particularly enjoy seeing old buildings in Europe and imaging how people centuries ago lived.?

Windows in buildings and castles were not as clear as modern windows. They were made of different materials like paper, flattened animal horn or glass that was rough, opaque or coloured. They gave a distorted image of the outside world.

It wasn’t until the 17th century that clearer panes were produced and having clear windows to see out of was a real status item.

Today, the leaders that thrive are those with emotional intelligence (EI) who understand how they perceive the world and others matters. Research shows that EI predicts better patient care, enhanced teamwork and job satisfaction for the leader and the team and better resilience for all.

Those with EI understand the impact of cognitive distortions. Think medieval windows.

These distortions can manifest in various ways, affecting not only individual well-being but also the dynamics within teams, especially in high-pressure environments like healthcare. Here are some other ways stressed minds might perceive problems that aren't there or distort their thinking:

• Catastrophising: Individuals may imagine the worst possible outcome in any given situation, even when it's highly unlikely. This can lead to excessive worry about making mistakes or facing negative judgment from others, amplifying the stress they're already under.

• Overgeneralisationisation: A single negative experience can lead a stressed individual to conclude that all later experiences will be just as bad. For example, if a nurse faces criticism once, they might start believing they are always viewed negatively by their peers and superiors.

• Mind Reading: Similar to the example of Lyn and Dick, individuals under stress might assume they know what others are thinking about them, often expecting negative evaluations. This false belief can hinder open communication and worsen feelings of isolation and anxiety.

• Filtering: Focusing exclusively on negative details of a situation while ignoring any positive aspects can skew perception, leading individuals to view circumstances as more dire than they actually are. This can prevent them from recognizing their and their teams achievements and contributions, further diminishing their self-esteem and the sense of achievement in the team.

• Personalisation: Stressed individuals may blame themselves for external events or situations beyond their control, believing that any problem within the team or organization is their fault. This can create a sense of unwarranted guilt and hinder effective problem-solving.

• Black-and-White Thinking: Seeing everything in extremes (e.g., perfect or disastrous) without acknowledging the nuances in between can lead to frustration and dissatisfaction, especially in complex situations where nuanced thinking is needed for resolution.

• Jumping to Conclusions: Without all the facts, stressed individuals might hastily conclude about a situation or person, often negatively. This can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts within teams.

Recognising these patterns of distorted thinking is the one step in the race to support our leadership team so they do great work they are proud of and support their team as they’d like.

#Cognitivedistortions

#Transformationalleadership

#Modernleadership

#healthcare

Michelle

P.S. Click here to grab the first two chapters of my book, 'Transformational Nurse Identities', FOR FREE and apply the strategies that successfully guided many nurse leaders and their team to become transformational leaders.