Leadership Matters: Grace under fire

There’s no question about it: Today’s workplace can be stressful. The long work hours, the endless flow of information, the competing demands on our attention—all of these factors can make us feel perpetually overwhelmed and out of control.

The conditions that lead to workplace stress are not necessarily “bad.” They’re just reality. But the best leaders learn to deal with these conditions or the problems that lead to stress in a way that keeps everyone on track.

How you behave under pressure truly defines you as a leader and sets the tone for how others manage the situation. If you create a culture where people fall to pieces when things get tough, it will be too stressful for employees (and they will likely leave), productivity will suffer—and your job will get even harder.

Difficult, busy times can put strain on relationships, but they can also forge stronger bonds if handled the right way. When your team sees you navigate them out of a tricky situation, it can be a huge credibility builder. Conversely, when they see you fall apart, it can create a trust deficit that is hard to recover from even when things settle down.

 

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