As leaders, we often face challenges that test our ability to keep our heads in the midst of chaos. Even those of us who have experienced success in business will encounter difficulties like problems we’re ill-equipped to solve or difficult conversations.
To help you navigate these instances, we brought in Derrick McManus, Founder of the Australian Centre for Human Durability, who has faced his share of tense encounters, to put it mildly. Derrick was trained by Australia’s elite Special Air Services (SAS) before he became a police officer in the Special Tasks And Rescue (STAR) Group. And while our problems might not have life-and-death stakes, I find his principles can apply to any walk of life that invites high levels of stress
As an overview, these are the top 3 lessons we can take from this podcast:
- Strive for a balance between emotional and rational thinking
- Always address the ‘elephant in the room’ with others and yourself
- Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable and ask for help
Key Lesson #1: Maintain Balance Between Emotional and Rational Thinking
It’s probably hard for most of us to imagine, but Derrick’s test of emotional and rational thinking happened when he was shot 14 times in one incident in the line of duty. During our discussion, he spoke at length about his mindset during these high-stress situations and how he was able to keep his emotions in check when losing control could cost him everything.
Being mentally prepared helps leaders stay on an even level between our emotional and rational thinking. As Derrick puts it, mental preparation is a matter of drawing on prior experiences and knowledge and being honest with yourself about possible outcomes.
This concept boils down to “taking responsibility for the choice, the action, and the consequences,” Derrick says.
Key Lesson #2: Always Address the ‘Elephant in the Room’
The elephant in the room, as Derrick describes it, refers to the tense discussions and topics that we must address as leaders. It could be a tough conversation with an employee about their performance or the realization that you’re not prepared to face a certain challenge.
We should always be willing to ask the difficult questions of ourselves first, he says, and then be prepared to engage in this same level of honesty with others. The openness doesn’t need to be harsh, so long as it’s honest.
The positive results will outweigh the moments of discomfort since you can attain two levels of comfort from difficult discussions:
- You’ll find out that the topic everyone was afraid to address is actually manageable, and everyone will leave the discussion feeling less stressed.
- You’ll gain an honest assessment of what needs to be done to fix the problem or meet a goal.
Key Lesson #3: Don’t Be Afraid To Be Vulnerable
This is a lesson that can be applied to any relationship, and it’s no different in business. In this context, vulnerability denotes a willingness to say “I can’t see everything” to your employees and be willing to view your capabilities honestly. For most of us, this means admitting to ourselves and our companies that we don’t have all the answers, which can be a scary proposition for anyone in a leadership position.
Leading people to work isn’t as tense as a high-risk rescue mission, but the same principles can be applied for this:
- Ego (or pride or self-importance) can be used for good if it’s used to build the confidence you need to get a job done. It becomes bad when it stops us from absorbing feedback or admitting we need help.
- You’ll be more likely to stay even emotionally and feel more comfortable addressing the elephant in the room if you’re comfortable with vulnerability.
Be sure to stay tuned for the Q&A with our listeners at the end, as Derrick invites all questions, and we go further on these topics, including ways you can keep yourself even in moments of high stress!
About Best Places to Lead
Your company has the potential to be great. The leader’s responsibility is to unlock that potential – or doom it to mediocrity.
On the LIVE Best Places to Lead show, you’ll learn the hard-fought lessons from the front lines earned by business leaders who have already had their teeth bashed in and lived to tell about it. We’ll share the tips, tricks, mindsets, and frameworks that allow great leaders to lead differently.
Leave a Reply