Stress-Less Leadership by Nadine Greiner

Author:Nadine Greiner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Entrepreneur Press
Published: 2019-10-06T16:00:00+00:00

depression

Depression is a severe feeling of sadness. You tend to lose hope, self-esteem, and interest in daily life. Activities you once enjoyed no longer bring you a sense of pleasure. But don’t worry—there are a lot of solutions at your disposal. Important: If you are depressed and you feel like you want to hurt yourself, please tell a friend or loved one immediately and see a professional. Depression is common and treatable; you don’t have to suffer needlessly.

avoid comparison

When you compare yourself to other people’s careers, accomplishments, and lives (especially when you’re stressed and depressed), it only decreases your self-esteem. Remember that a person’s life can appear perfect on the outside, but you don’t know what they are really feeling on the inside. It’s important to avoid comparison.

What to do? Social media is often the worst offender when it comes to making comparisons. Consider taking a break from it. Suspend or disable your online accounts and take comfort in the fact that you’re taking a stand against superficial pictures and posts. Intimate face-to-face conversations are a much better way of getting to know someone. By stepping inside their shoes, you’re more likely to avoid making comparisons.

Example in practice: A marketing agency client of mine had a vibrant, positive culture. One director at the company, however, felt that another director was being given all the “interesting and fun” accounts. She complained loudly that she was stuck with the “stale and boring” accounts. The other director, tired of hearing about it, offered to switch accounts for six months. The complaining director quickly learned that the grass was not greener and that making comparisons was not helpful—in fact, it was misleading. The deeper lesson was that her own attitude accounted for a good chunk of her less impressive track record.

connect with one other leader

Isolation is closely tied with depression. As a leader, it’s often most lonely at the top. Connecting with another leader can be a powerful way to ward off stress and depression.

What to do? Find a leader you admire and schedule weekly or biweekly coffee chats or walks. Share experiences, talk over challenging obstacles you’re facing or questions you’re pondering, and ask for their thoughts and advice. By sharing stories and lessons learned, you’ll bond over the similarities in your situations and learn from each other. In doing so, your mood will be lifted, knowing that you are not alone. You might even invite a couple more leaders to join you over time.

Example in practice: Apple cofounder Steve Jobs and Oracle founder Larry Ellison found enormous comfort and value in their 25-year friendship. Even during the last days before Jobs’ death, the two went for long hikes together. Both leaders had been suddenly thrust into the spotlight and experienced a lot of criticism. Through their friendship, they were able to reduce stress by sharing experiences, passions, and advice.

mentor an employee

Helping others takes you out of your self-rumination and gloom and helps both you and the other person appreciate what you have.

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