All humans are born and built to lead, I believe. At a minimum we’re on the hook to lead ourselves. If you have the privilege and responsibility of leading others pay close attention to enemy numero uno – yourself. Most systems, turns out, self destruct. When leaders self sabotage and finally explode, their shrapnel harms in proportion to the size of their system. In other words, the bigger they are the harder they fall.
If we assume we are our own worst enemy (btw the harder this is to hear, the more you need to listen up), what can leaders do to prevent their big explosion? Leaders can change their reaction to triggers and, in effect, lengthen their internal fuses. Sounds simpler than it is. Lengthening your fuse means rewiring your brain. Yikes.
Leaders are in the rewiring business cause leaders know they need long fuses…
Leaders, like all of us, have no shortage of triggers. Triggers can be circumstances, events, people, and any number of things that are beyond your control. Today, a client described one of his triggers as a colleague. Yesterday, another client described his trigger as an event. Funny enough, his event is called “the weekend” where he loses the self-control he enjoys during the week. Funny, huh. And, another client just described his bride as his trigger. Yikes.
All of us have triggers all around us all the time. The best among us are aware of their own and are actively working to lengthen their fuse, if you will. What once set them off no longer does. They have changed their reaction. It used to be a short fuse from trigger to explosion; now it’s a bit longer. This gives the leader time to think, take a deep breath and engage more than just the emotional brain. Better reactions are simply the result…
The longer your fuse, the calmer you are. Leaders, the virtuous ones, understand that anxiety is enemy numero uno. You cannot think clearly when your brain is fast forwarding into the future and predicting nuclear winter awaits. Leaders emerge when enemies are everywhere. Calmly, leaders think, make decisions and productively act their way forward. Circumstances, other people, and crazy events don’t set ’em off. These leaders are calm because their CORE is strong. Their fuse has been lengthened by their building.
CORE centered, self controlling and calm they are becoming.
You are your worst enemy, my friend. And, your enemy number one is your anxiety. You cannot lead another when your face tells them you too are terrified. You cannot lead another when your face tells them you are pushing the panic button. You cannot lead another when your face tells them you are fast forwarding to nuclear winter. You cannot lead another when your face tells them you have a short fuse that can’t handle the truth. You cannot lead another when your face tells them to look to themselves, cause your feeling overwhelmed again.
Leaders are calm, first. Clear, concise, and direct when they speak. Tuned in like an animal being stalked when the listen. And, when the enemies are everywhere, leaders calmly and strategically STAND and do their job. Afterward they say as much.
Be one of those kinda leaders. Be ONE…
BUILT TO LEAD 