It’s Not Easy Being A Leader!

It’s not easy being a leader. Long hours. Lots of decisions. Lots of pressure. And long hours.
Those 60-70 hour weeks go with the territory. And given today’s economy it takes energy and time to make sure every decision is the right one.

Here are 5 actions you can take to deal with the excitement (and stress) of being a leader.

1. Take time for yourself. Spending 60+ hours per week focusing on how others lead, how others produce, what the markets are doing, what customers are saying, what the bottom line shows, what board members want from you – things like that – takes its toll. That’s why it’s necessary to take time for you.

Maybe it’s an afternoon for golf, or an evening in the workshop, or dinner with spouse, or a school event with kids, but do something that makes time for you. You’ll not only feel better, but you’ll make better decisions.

2. Get physical. It takes at least 20 minutes of physical exercise (walking, jogging, on the treadmill, lifting weights, having sex) before your endorphins kick in. Endorphins – those internal chemicals that make us feel good. That’s why so many people report “feeling so much better, more energy, more enthusiasm, less stress” after exercise.

Getting physical also helps keep one’s body in balance. Good health. But it’s not just something you do once in awhile. Get physical each day, if only for 30 minutes. You’ll not only feel and look better, but others will notice your increased energy - and wisdom.

3. Schedule time for family and write it in your calendar. Take a look at your calendar and the upcoming events of the rest of the family. Ink in (no, not penciled but inked) those dates that are important to you and your family. Maybe it’s a sporting event, pizza out at your favorite spot, being a “tourist” in your own community, a school activity, an event important to your spouse. Whatever.

If it’s written in your calendar, in ink, it’s not so easy to say, “Well, I can skip this event.” Once scheduled it should be changed only rarely.

4. Watch what you eat and drink. Drink too much and you not only have a headache the next morning but your decision-making ability shrinks. Eat too much and you not only gain weight and stress your cardiac system but you also negatively impact your ability to really think things through.

Executives should get annual physical exams, by someone who doesn’t care what you do or how many people you direct or how much money you make. Their concern is your health. Period. Follow their recommendations on diet, including how much you eat and drink. If either is a problem, seek help.

5. Find a place you can go to get refreshed and renewed. Richard found that place in Door County, Wisconsin. Often called the Cape Cod of the Midwest, Door County is a sliver of land between Lake Michigan and the Green Bay. He and Sandie have made many trips to Door County. “It’s where we go to get re-energized,” he explains. They always returns with more energy, more insight into what needs to be done and how to do it, and much less stressed. “It’s also the place where I go to write,” Richard adds, “and I’ve written three books while in Door County.”

Find the place where you can go and get refreshed and renewed. Your family will appreciate it. Your direct reports will appreciate it. Your board will appreciate it. And you will too.

Follow these five recommendations and you’ll find that being a leader is more fun, less stressful, and more rewarding.

Theory of the Dipper and the Bucket

Each of us has an invisible bucket It is constantly emptied or filled, depending on what others say or do to us. When our bucket is full, we feel great. When it is empty, we feel awful.

Each of us also has an invisible dipper. When we use that dipper to fill other people’s buckets – by saying or doing things to increase their positive emotions – we also fill our own bucket. But when we use that dipper to dip from others’ buckets – by saying or doing things that decrease their positive emotions – we diminish ourselves.

Like the cup that runneth over, a full bucket gives us a positive outlook and renewed energy. Every drop in that bucket makes us stronger and more optimistic.

But an empty bucket poisons our outlook, saps our energy, and undermines our will. That’s why every time someone dips from our bucket, it hurts us.

So we face a choice every moment of every day: We can fill one another’s buckets, or we can dip from them. It’s an important choice – that profoundly influences our relationships, productivity, health, and happiness.

A fable by Don Clifton, founder Selection Research Inc, “Grandfather of Positive Psychology.”
From the book, How Full Is Your Bucket?

Note: Richard grew up in Lincoln, NE, living next door to Joe Clifton, Don’s older brother. Richard was part of a special youth group formed by several educational psychology grad students, headed by Don Clifton. Later, when Don was in charge of selecting and training store managers for the very popular King’s Food Hosts, he trained managers to do whatever needed to get done. “Managers don’t sit in the corner office,” Don would say, “a manager does what needs to get done. If it ‘s noon-time and there are tables that need to be bussed, then bus tables. If there are burgers that need to be fried, then fry them. That’s the role of the manager.” That’s also servant leadership.

Have a team that isn’t working out? Not getting things done? Taking too much time? Missing opportunities? The professionals at WorkLife Design are experts at fixing broken teams. We’ll figure out what’s not working and tell you how it can be fixed. We do it each week.

Call us at 1.800.432.6918. We’re ready to work with you.

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