One hazard of being a leader is that you can very easily become problem focused. If you’re in growth, you show up every day to find new overwhelming problems. That’s the way growth is. Everywhere you look, new problems are popping up.
But dealing with those problems and becoming problem focused are two different things.
Here are two ways to combat this tendency:
- Take a few meeting minutes in a meeting to have your team write down a list of ‘bright spots’ every six months or so to help them remember how much they’re getting done. This is what my mom called ‘counting your blessings,’ an excellent habit that I can’t say enough good about.
- Make sure you smile. If the leader is frowning, everyone else assumes the business is going broke. Teams look to the leader to see how to interpret tough situations. Be cool. Don’t let them see you sweat (too much!)
When I’m driving to work, I have a choice to concentrate on the hopeless driver in front of me and swear, or to look up at the majesty of snow-capped Mount Baker and rejoice. How you interpret the events of your life is up to you.
