Leadership in Times of Stress
Today’s challenging times require leaders to make a special effort to ensure their own wellbeing and that of their teams. Those of us who have worked in times of high pressure are aware of the toll a rapidly-changing and stressful situation can take on the leader and on the team.
It does not matter the cause of the pressure: a customer issue, an employee concern, navigating one’s team through a pandemic, conducting critical FBI investigations, or leading a team in the military; stress is stress. The Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress at the Uniformed Services University offered these useful tips, among many others, in their article, “Military Leadership in Stressful Situations.”
- “Effective communication is essential during stressful events…Leaders who communicate effectively spend 90% of the time listening and 10% of the time talking.”
- “In order for leaders to take care of others, they must first take care of themselves. In other words, reducing stress in others requires leading by example.”
Read this excellent reminder from the Uniformed Services University, a leader in military medicine, for ways to be more helpful to your people and to take better care of yourself. It is worth your time!
