Leaders developing leaders.

Stress

Fun With Yogi-isms

When fun gets deep enough, it can heal the world.
– the Oaqui

2020 has been a unique year and one that we think many are anxious to put behind us. So many have suffered with stress due to the threat of or actual health issues, lay-offs, business failures, and political turmoil.

Because of this we’ve decided to lighten it up and want to share “Yogi-isms” in hopes of bringing smiles.

For those that don’t know, Yogi Berra was an 18-time Baseball All-Star and appeared in 14 World Series as a member of the Yankees. In addition to his baseball excellence, he was known for his memorable sayings because most didn’t make sense. We’re referring to these as Yogi-isms and hope some actually make you chuckle!

  1. When you come to a fork in the road, take it.
  2. You can observe a lot by just watching.
  3. It ain’t over till it’s over.
  4. It’s like déjà vu all over again.
  5. No one goes there nowadays, it’s too crowded.
  6. Baseball is 90% mental and the other half is physical.
  7. A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.
  8. Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they won’t come to yours.
  9. We made too many wrong mistakes.
  10. Congratulations. I knew the record would stand until it was broken.
  11. You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I’m not hungry enough to eat six.
  12. You wouldn’t have won if we’d beaten you.
  13. I usually take a two-hour nap from one to four.
  14. Never answer an anonymous letter.
  15. Slump? I ain’t in no slump… I just ain’t hitting.
  16. The future ain’t what it used to be.
  17. It gets late early out here.
  18. Pair up in threes.
  19. Why buy good luggage, you only use it when you travel.
  20. You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you are going, because you might not get there.

Yogi also shared “I never said most of the things I said”, and we’ll conclude by saying “Life is no fun without fun”.

Wishing you an abundance of fun!

There are going to be good times and bad times, but lighten up.
– Chris Pine

Growth, Change and Stress

To improve is to change, to be perfect is to change often.
–Winston Churchill

We agree that growth, development, and improvement require change, along with most likely a bit of stress. Until we’re willing to accept that, we may be limiting our opportunities. Note: We don’t support Churchill’s concept of being perfect!

You’ve heard before that what got you to where you are today will more than likely NOT take you to your desired next level of achievement and that’s primarily because things change.

Times, strategies, technology, budgets, skill-sets, customers, partnerships, and shareholders change and as change occurs, it’s up to us to meet associated challenges and swiftly “evolve” and grow. We also need to recognize that discomfort may occur and we should reflect on the “why” and consider options for managing our feelings.

As leaders we need to take time and pay attention to what’s happening to us, and we also need to pay attention to those we work with. So many are currently working remotely but we still need to understand the pulse of our team/organization. Consider: How’s productivity? Enthusiasm levels on calls? Team Collaboration? Attitudes? Communication?

Physical and emotional health suffer when change is not managed and stress becomes unhealthy instead of energizing and motivating.

In late 2019 (pre covid-19), Daily Life reported:

  • 83% of US workers suffer from work-related stress.
  • US businesses lose up to $300 billion yearly as a result of workplace stress.
  • Stress causes around one million workers to miss work every day.
  • Only 43% of US employees think their employers care about their work-life balance.
  • Depression leads to $51 billion in costs due to absenteeism and $26 billion in treatment costs.
  • Work-related stress causes 120,000 deaths and results in $190 billion in healthcare costs yearly.

This year the CDC suggests watching for:

  • Feeling irritation, anger, or in denial
  • Feeling uncertain, nervous, or anxious
  • Lacking motivation
  • Feeling tired, overwhelmed, or burned out
  • Feeling sad or depressed
  • Having trouble sleeping
  • Having trouble concentratingWe need to take care of our own needs and be cognizant of and address the needs of those around us. This will position the workplace to better manage work stress without becoming overwhelmed.  Like the cocoon to the butterfly, we need to grow and change!

Progress is impossible without change and those that can not change their minds can not change anything.
–George Bernard Shaw

Staying Engaged and Connected

Keep yourself calm and stay engaged with a dedication to fulfilling your goals.
–Milind Audichya

Are you noticing that colleagues are more restless than ever? That motivation and energy levels are low, and even while on video calls, many prefer to turn their camera off making it hard to assess who’s engaged and who is not?

It’s been reported that while most companies are doing a good job keeping their employees safe and providing opportunities for a stable work culture, more is needed while we work through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Willis Towers Watson, a global advisory and solutions company, tracked more than 100,000 global employees to assess the impacts of COVID-19.  They found:

    • Over nine in 10 employees (92%) reported some level of anxiety
    • 55% indicated a moderate or high degree of anxiety
    • 70% shared they were at least somewhat distracted from a work perspective
    • 32% said they were able to balance working from home with other responsibilities
    • 61% had financial concerns
    • 25% expressed a moderate or high degree of worry
    • Less than half (46%) reported their company was making it easier to access or apply employee benefits related to COVID-19 care
    • 78% agree their leaders have been effective at focusing on work objectives – (that’s impressive!)
    • 16% of employees in stronger team environments have lower rates of distraction while those that struggle collaborating (56%) are more distracted

So what else can we as leaders do?

  1. Be available when support is needed, both for those working from home, and even more so for the “essential workers” that have additional challenges
  2. Assess if there’s a need/opportunity/budget to update work at home equipment
  3. Keep all employees/consultants/colleagues informed
  4. Stress collaboration and the need for teamwork
  5. Share weekly priorities; assign “who” needs to do “what” by “when”
  6. Schedule one on one time
  7. Build in time each week for relationship building. Our team is currently using:
    4,000 Questions for Getting to Know Anyone and Everyone by Barbara Ann Kipfer.  Certainly plenty to choose from!
  8. Be patient! Schools may or may not reopen (ditto for day care), so stress levels and time management may be even more challenging.

Do you have any tips to share for helping others stay engaged and connected? Let us know!

Research indicates that workers have three prime needs: Interesting work, recognition for doing a good job, and being let in on things that are going on in the company.–Zig Ziglar

Stressful Times?

When we’re not in control and are unsure of what tomorrow brings, we can be left feeling anxious and stressed.

We sure aren’t in control of the impacts or duration of COVID-19, and we really don’t know what we’ll be facing tomorrow, but what we can do is assess and address if we are feeling anxious or stressed.

Maureen Killoran sums it up nicely: Stress is not what happens to us. It’s our response TO what happens. And RESPONSE is something we can choose.

First, start by paying attention. Last week we mentioned observing restlessness, lack of focus, missed deadlines, and crankiness in others.  We must also self-assess.

Do we feel irritable? Exhausted? Have a shorter “fuse” than normal? What about a stiff neck, headaches, or a backache?

We get so busy that we often neglect ourselves; regardless how busy we are, we need to schedule “self-time” on a daily basis, even if for only 10 minutes.

We need to think and live “healthily”.  Comfort foods may seem like a good idea, but if carbs are involved, which they often are, work on limiting the “goodie” intake; the extra carbs can add to fatigue and make you feel guilty. And just a reminder that “stressed” spelled backwards is “desserts”!

If you lead or are a part of a team:

-Schedule 15 minutes out of a team meeting to have every team member write a positive one word descriptor of each teammate.  It’s a feel good exercise, reduces stress and builds harmony.  Each person can submit their words to a designated person, and that person can then share the results. Simple and uplifting.

-Have each person play/share a favorite song and explain why.

-Have a “virtual” luncheon where recipes can be shared; have a contest for the most unique dish.

-Each team member visually shares something important to them  ex. A child, a “furbaby”, a book, an heirloom, etc

It’s up to us to address and minimize stress and build camaraderie.  Let us know what works for you!

There cannot be a stressful crisis next week. My schedule is already full.
–Henry Kissinger

Reset Your Mindset

With a fixed mindset, you believe you are who you are and you cannot change. This creates problems when you’re challenged because anything that appears to be more than you can handle is bound to make you feel hopeless and overwhelmed.–Travis Bradberry

We continue to live and lead in uncertain times, and often hear discussions about what the “new normal” will be. A great question but one with no clear answer.

Given the high levels of uncertainty, a “mindset reset” may be in order. Many of us are suffering from decreased energy levels, and quite honestly are floundering.

So as leaders, what can we do?  Start by increasing your level of communication with your teams by asking and listening.

How are they feeling? Do they seem restless? Have they lost focus? Are they missing deadlines? What about their tone of voice (stressed or irritable?).

Leadership professional Ban Weston provides 10 tips that may help:

1.    Acknowledge and accept changing times.
2.    Face your fears; writing them down can help you move forward.
3.    Confront your feelings and seek support; reach out to close colleagues or loved ones and talk to them about what you are feeling.
4.    Stop the fearful thoughts and replace them with something positive. Turn negative thoughts into something positive. Ex.How have you helped others cope? List the positives for being home. Ex. More family time
5.    Be flexible and embracing of change; approach change with an open attitude of learning.  What are the positives as a result of the change? Ex. Saved commute time and lower gas bills
6.    Be part of the change. See change as an opportunity for growth; use your extra time for self-development.
7.    Communication, communication and more communication. The unknown can be scary. Provide meaningful information and address rumors or incorrect assumptions. Will there be pay cuts? Furloughs? Loss of business? Longer work hours?
8.    Reduce Stress and anxiety. Focus on what makes you feel strong and fit so you can continue to make good and rational decisions. Ex. Exercise, music, movies, etc
9.    Have a sense of meaning. Where and how are you adding value? What goals have you achieved? Have you helped others adjust and grow their skill-set?
10. Continue to do your work and see the big picture. Focus on achieving your designated goals; maintain a positive attitude and know better times are ahead.

We also encourage regular video conferencing. Let colleagues see one another and share their ups and downs.

Don’t be the leader where team members share that they were never asked about their perceptions, opinions, or feelings! Rather, be recognized for helping reset mindsets.

Stay safe!

You’re in charge of your mind. You can help it grow by using it in the right way.–Carol Dweck

Stressed?

Stress is an important dragon to slay – or at least tame – in your life.
–Marilu Henner

How’s your stress level at work? Would you say it’s occasional or fairly consistent?

The first step in handling stress is to be aware of it.  Without awareness, stress is in control of you and not the other way around.

Do a simple assessment of the components below, rating your stress level for each as “Low”, “medium”, or “high”.

Job role/characteristics
Too demanding
Not what I thought it was going to be
Work Benefits/compensation
Difficult to get a promotion
Low compensation
Work Schedule
No flexibility
Creates conflict
Work Relationships
None
Conflict ridden
Boss Relationship
Not valued/skills not utilized
Minimal direction / recognition

How many did you rate “high”? We suggest addressing those first. Balance is the key to managing stress; consider what you can do differently to lower your stress levels.

Are you trying too hard? We often have a self-imposed need to compete that adds to our stress. We also don’t take time for the 3 R’s:  Re-charge, re-energize, and relax!

Build in time each day for things you enjoy. (Music, exercise, reading, family time). While at work, stand, stretch, take a walk, and don’t procrastinate! Putting off tasks will only add to your stress.

THIS WEEK’S QWIKTIP!

Click here to read how to STAY COOL

5 Types Of Change

There is no getting around change. It happens every day in every type of organization.—Britt Andreatta, Ph.D, author

Change in the workplace. It’s inevitable, so as leaders, what are we doing to reduce the failure rate? Studies show that 50 – 75% of change results in failure, either initially (it is never successfully launched), or that it does not sustain itself due to lack of buy-in across the organization.

Dr. Britt Andreatti, writes about how our brains must be harnessed to help us drive and thrive through change, and has identified 5 types of change in the workplace.

5 Types Of Change – excerpts from WIRED TO RESIST by Britt Andreatta 

  1. Strategic – how the organization will fulfill its mission
  2. Structural – the organization’s internal set-up
  3. Process – how the organization maximizes productivity and workflow
  4. Talent – maximizing employee skill and performance
  5. Cultural – shifting attitudes, values, and behaviors

It’s probably no surprise that the ability to change the mind-set of our people is the most difficult. If we don’t get them on-board, and if they do not support the new vision and core values (or perhaps don’t understand or know HOW to support it), success is unlikely.

Dr. Andreatta feels there are 4 key factors that influence success rates: Disruption, Acclimation, Choice, Desire  

As leaders we need to assess the amount of disruption and the time required for acclimation. We can label them as:

ORANGE – A lot of effort but over quickly

GREEN – Little effort and over quickly

YELLOW – Little effort over a long period

RED – A lot of effort over a long period

Take time to review the level of disruption for each change as that will help with realistic time expectations for acceptance. Equally important is assessing if the change was a choice or a mandate, and whether it was viewed as desirable.

Dr. Andreatta states that humans are “biologically wired to resist change”, and as leaders we MUST acknowledge and manage the emotions of the change curve (shock, denial, anger and fear) before we can expect acceptance and commitment.

As leaders, our challenge it to erase the equation that CHANGE=DANGER.  Are you prepared?

QWIKTIPS –

Click to read about GROWTH, CHANGE, STRESS

Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better. Bill Bradley

Does Work Stress You Out?

If you get stressed in your work environment, you’re not alone. According to an American Institute of Stress (NY) study, job pressure is the number one cause of stress.

Does Work Stress You Out?

Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one.
–Hans Selye

Strategies, technology, budgets, skill-sets, customers, partnerships, and shareholders are constantly evolving. As leaders, we need to take the time to pay attention to how we’re being impacted by the added pressures, and we need to pay attention to what’s happening to those we work with. What’s the pulse in your workplace?
How’s productivity? Absenteeism? Attitudes? Collaboration? Communication?

The statistics for how stress impacts individuals (and organizations) are staggering:

  • 48% – Are negatively impacted in their personal and professional life
  • 31% – Have difficulty managing work and family responsibilities
  • 30% – Are “always” or “often” under stress at work
  • $300 billion is the annual cost to employers in stress related health care and missed work

Here are some top contributors to work stress:

  1. Fear of being laid off
  2. Unrealistic deadlines
  3. Excessive work hours due to reduced staff
  4. Lack of collaboration
  5. Emphasis to “do more with less”
  6. Reduced recognition for a job well done (what is “above and beyond”?)
  7. Work just isn’t fun anymore
  8. Constant pressure to always deliver “at your peak” (the result is burn out)

Tips to help leaders manage stress:

  • Take the time to build relationships and learn what your team is doing at work as well as personally
  • Ensure everyone has clearly defined roles and understands priorities
  • Call out non-productive behaviors ex. Rumors, attitudes, lack of focus, reduced productivity, etc
  • Immediately address conflict / differences
  • Share what you know as soon as you can; consistent communication is key
  • Promote laughter and use humor to defuse stress

Are you doing all you can to minimize stress in your workplace? Hear what Mike and Marilyn say about the Leadership Journey.

Annoucements

Leadership Journey I

  • Session 1 – in Phoenix – kicks off May 12 – LAST CALL!
  • Session 1 – virtual – kicks off September 14 (Our June program is full)

Journey II – Moving Beyond The Barriers

  • Session 1 – in Phoenix – kicks off May 12 – still a few open spots!

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Tell Us – How Does Your Workplace Compare?

We want to invite you to take a short survey that looks at some important aspects of your workplace. We are gathering responses from Journey graduates and others so that we may paint a better picture of the workplace today. Here at PeopleTek we are interested in using the data to improve our curriculum and our collective workplace performance!

Please join us in this research. We will provide you with your own individual feedback, which you can use as you continue your individual leadership journey.

Take the Survey

Growth, Change, Stress

Growth and change are continuous, and if we don’t manage it wisely, stress gets thrown into the equation.

What got you to where you are today will more than likely not take you to your desired next level of achievement. Why? Things change.

Strategies, technology, budgets, skill-sets, customers, partnerships, and shareholders are not constant and it’s not always easy to keep up; sometimes it even feels next to impossible.

Stress is the physical and psychological effects we experience as a result of the way we react to changes in the surrounding environment.
–Pavel Stoyanov

As our environment (and the world) continues to change swiftly, we are all challenged to continuously “evolve” and grow.

As leaders we need to take time and pay attention to what’s happening to us, and we also need to pay attention to those we work with. What’s the pulse in your workplace? How’s productivity? Absenteeism? Collaboration levels? Attitudes? Communication?

Physical and emotional health suffer when change is not managed. Stress also becomes unhealthy instead of energizing and motivating.

A Few Top Stress Contributers

  • Fear of being laid off
  • Unrealistic deadlines
  • Excessive work hours due to reduced staff
  • Emphasis to “do more with less”
  • Reduced recognition for a job well done (what is “above and beyond”?)
  • Work just isn’t fun anymore
  • Constant pressure to always deliver “at your peak” (the result is burn out)

Reports say that the workforce is experiencing increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression, and that employers are spending 15% more than last year per employee for wellness programs.  And, many wellness programs are now including gym memberships, massages, nutrition counseling, meditation courses, and even bonuses for exercising.

People wear out; we all have thresholds. The idea is to recognize and address needs before health and productivity suffer.

Take care of your own needs and be cognizant of and address the needs of those around you. This will position your workplace to better manage work stress without becoming overwhelmed.  You may even experience increased levels of energy, and bring back an element of “fun”!

When’s the last time you made work fun?

Calm, Cool, and Collect

How do stressful situations impact you? If you’re under fire at work, do others “feel” it and avoid interactions with you?

Self control is important. The ability to manage our feelings instead of allowing our feelings to manage us is beneficial for everyone, especially so for leaders.

Having the ability to feel and then respond with purpose, while remaining composed, is what we strive for daily and during difficult situations. If a person lets us down and we are angry, we need to have the skill to respond appropriately rather than blowing up or raising our voice.

Leadership is a matter of having people look at you and gain confidence, seeing how you react. If you’re in control, they’re in control.
–Tom Landry

We suggest becoming very aware of our emotions, and what triggers them, so we are better positioned to remain in control. This means becoming familiar with an entire spectrum of feelings including happiness, anger, sadness, loneliness, rejection, pride, shame, peace, etc.

And it means knowing how to diffuse the emotions that will not serve us well.

The more control and awareness we have, the better the leader we can be, now, and in the future. An example may be when someone did something we didn’t expect and we overreacted. Some of us may even yell or scream at our antagonist, which more likely than not puts us in disfavor with those that witnessed it.

Once composure is “lost,” the damage is done and may not be recovered from (even when composure is restored). We all have hot buttons and we all know individuals that seem to have a “gift” to light those buttons up. To excel in leadership we need to be in control of our emotions at all times. (It’s certainly easier when times are calm and steady but may challenge us in difficult and turbulent/crisis situations).

Common Circumstances That Lend Themselves to Control Issues

  • Surprises
  • Unexpected change
  • Incorrect/incomplete information
  • Missed deliverables
  • Insubordination
  • Deadlines, date changes
  • Lack of commitment, buy-in or urgency
  • Lack of team effort or no accountability

We first must understand our feelings and the response, (perhaps an unhealthy one), that desperately wants out. Instead, we can calmly think about a response that would help us deal with the problem at hand. This may require postponing a response which is fine (rarely do we HAVE to have an immediate response).

It can be challenging to remain cool, calm, and collect, but as a Chinese proverb says: Forego your anger for a moment and save yourself a hundred days of trouble.

It takes effort, but it’s worth it! What do you do to maintain your composure?

Here’s a Wealth of Information

Each week we’ll partner with QwikCoach and provide the ability for you to reinforce or expand your knowledge of a prior topic.

Last week’s tip focused on Conflict.

Go to QwikTips to read more! There are two different versions–one for visitors and one for licensed QwikCoach users.

Help turn your leadership knowledge into leadership action!