You’re a leader for a reason.
You’re probably dedicated and exceptional in your line of work and it is your dedication and level of skill that makes you successful.
Now… because of that you’re a valuable member of your team and likely a lot has been put on your shoulders.
Plus, your team members constantly turn to you to put out fires… and usually, you do have the right solutions, am I right?!
The problem is that this situation often leads to a lot of stress that can be damaging to your health and may even lead to burnout somewhere down the line.
If you are a leader and find yourself in this position, here are some tips for how you can reduce stress in your professional life.
Stop putting out fires!
If you are a dedicated leader, here’s a bit of how your day may go…
You have your 8 hour day planned out and are all set to be home on time for dinner (finally!!).
Just an hour into your day and everything is running on schedule when suddenly a fire breaks out! No, not an actual fire, but something that comes up for your team that needs your immediate attention.
Maybe a client is unhappy, maybe a certain protocol wasn’t followed, but whatever it is, it takes priority over whatever you are trying to do.
With your attention required to solve this problem, your day just got extended by an hour…and it’s likely this wasn’t the last “emergency” of the day… Am I right?
So how do you stop this pattern of behavior? There’s only one answer.
Lead by example, not by advice
Rather than putting out fires, you need to take the time to teach your team how to handle issues on their own.
Sit down with them and coach them through the skills they need to come up with solutions to their problems.
This may take time and effort in the short term, but it will be a time-saving step over all.
Once your team knows how to manage problems effectively, you’ll finally have more time to focus on the big picture, to give attention to critical projects, and to create strategies that will contribute to the company’s overall success.
Not only is this a recommended way to eliminate stress in your professional life, but it can also help you delegate tasks to become more focused and productive (i.e. to do a better job!).
Even more than that, you’ll be able to lead a healthier, more stress-free life and you might even be able to make it home in time for dinner 🙂
If this situation seemed like a perfect description of your typical day and you know it’s time for a change, then let’s talk this through together. Head over here and apply for a free Leadership Accelerator call!
Your leadership coach,
Ramona
