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You might assume that remaining calm, patient, and open-minded under pressure is a behavior that most business leaders practice. Unfortunately, a study by Harvard Business Review (1) found this assumption to be incorrect:

  • 53% of leaders are more closed-minded and controlling than open and curious.
  • 45% are more upset and emotional than calm and in control.
  • 45% ignore or reject rather than listen or seek to understand.
  • 43% are angrier and more heated than cool and collected.

These unhealthy behaviors have far-reaching implications for the leader’s team and for the organization.

CONSEQUENCES OF POOR LEADERSHIP UNDER PRESSURE

Team Morale Plummets

When a high-stakes situation like a crisis happens at work, it causes stress for the affected employees. The onus is on leaders to act as the stabilizing force even as circumstances create instability. One of the most essential aspects of being a good leader is shouldering the burden of high-pressure situations without stumbling under the weight of them.

Leaders who fall apart add to the fear, anxiety, and confusion that employees feel. Their workers feel alone and like they do not have the necessary support to weather the storm. These employees lack guidance and encouragement.

If the leader does not regain their composure in short order, team morale will plummet.

Employee Engagement Disintegrates

It is downright intimidating and very unpleasant for an employee to approach someone in a leadership position who is angry, closed off, or anxiety-ridden. Workers might feel like attempting to do so is not worth the verbal deluge that their leader is likely to unleash on them. As a result, employees might be reluctant to go to their manager with:

  • Questions
  • Feedback
  • Ideas
  • Concerns

The more silenced workers feel, the more likely they are to withdraw. They become significantly less engaged with their leader, teammates, and the company. Lower levels of engagement can drive employees to look for a job elsewhere. If this happens with enough employees, the organization faces potentially high turnover rates – which is costly.

Workers Become Frustrated and Short-Tempered

A leader sets the tone for their team. If employees witness them acting frustrated and short-tempered, chances are good they will follow their manager’s example. After all, if the person in a leadership position is visibly agitated, it must mean the behavior is acceptable, right? Unfortunately, it is all too easy to draw this conclusion when leaders allow their irritation and impatience to show.

Employee Turnover Increases

As touched on above, a volatile leader tends to have employees who disengage. They feel like their efforts are futile and that nothing they say or do makes a difference. Plus, working in a high-pressure, high-stress situation is difficult enough with a good leader – let alone one who offers no solace.

When a worker is unhappy with their job and cannot picture circumstances improving, they will often seek employment at a different company. The expenses of replacing a single employee are bad enough. Imagine the cost of replacing multiple employees.

Work Performance Suffers

Performing well under tremendous pressure is not easy. Left without support, some employees flounder. The distraction of stressful circumstances is great. It tends to consume employees’ thoughts, preventing them from giving their work the level of focus it requires.

The quality of work suffers as a result. Mistakes are made due to a lack of information and clarification. Deadlines are often missed. At a time when the organization needs to rally and overcome, employees fail to deliver. It can deal a deadly blow to an already vulnerable company.

GOOD LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES TO USE UNDER PRESSURE

Assemble a Network of Trusted Advisors

Great leaders recognize the value of getting insight from their knowledgeable and accomplished peers. With this concept in mind, they often surround themselves with a network of trusted advisors. People in their support system might come up with viable solutions that elude the leader. They might also know of resources that are unfamiliar to you.

Having advisors is especially helpful if, as a leader, you find yourself in a stressful situation that pushes you to your wit’s end. Since your advisors are not dealing with the same pressure you are, they can approach it with a cool head from the get-go. By leaning on your support system until you pull yourself together, you give yourself the necessary space and time to calm down before interacting with your employees.

Get Clarity on the Situation

Resist the urge to spring into action if a crisis presents itself. You do not want to make uninformed decisions in the heat of the moment, or you risk making the wrong ones.

Instead, take a step back and analyze the situation in detail. Make sure you are looking at it realistically, versus from an emotionally charged place. When you approach a crisis in this way, you can get clarity on the situation.

From there, go through different scenarios of responding and the possible outcome of each. This is the perfect time to consult with your team of advisors.

It is only when you complete this process that you should take action.

Rely on Facts, Not Emotion

High-stress circumstances tend to elicit highly charged emotions. Strong emotions are like a tidal wave that crashes over you and sweeps away all rational thought.

Stick to the cold, hard facts. If you feel yourself getting swept away in an emotion, take a deep breath and direct your thoughts back to the facts.

Act With a Plan

While life does not always go according to plan, having one gives you a solid foundation. Yes, unexpected things can occur, but the plan is like a foundation poured from concrete and reinforced with steel bars. It prevents the crisis from destroying everything that you and your team have built.

Put the plan in writing. A digital format is ideal because it allows you to update the details accordingly as changes inevitably occur.

Frame Your Intent in a Positive Light

It is tempting to place blame if any of your employees is responsible for the present circumstances. You might be justified in doing so. However, pointing the finger will not solve the problem – and after all, that is your primary objective.

Instead, stress to your team that fixing the problem is where your focus and theirs is best directed. Give workers initiatives that best leverage their strengths to execute the solution. Encourage them, make it clear you are there to support them, and be patient with their questions.

Briefly address the error made by telling your employees that later you will discuss how to prevent it from happening in the future. And leave it at that until the situation is under control.

Work on Yourself

One common trait among good leaders is a high level of emotional intelligence. They have taken the time to work on themselves and have made self-improvement a priority. As a result, these leaders:

  • Know their triggers.
  • Have established practices to help them respond rationally.
  • Identify healthy outlets for their negative emotions.
  • Recognize their strong emotions as feelings they can control.
  • Write down their worries and conceptualize solutions for each.

Make no mistake, a great leader is one who has gotten in touch with their vulnerabilities and leverages them as a source of strength. They embrace their humanity and recognize that everyone has areas for improvement.

DIAMONDS ARE MADE UNDER PRESSURE

Rather than viewing business crises as tragic, consider them a way to become an even better leader. Use the practices above to remain calm and guide your team through the storm with patience, an open-minded approach, and your eye on the prize. You may just find that you all come out of the situation better than you went into it.

 

If you want to make sure your next business event makes a positive impact on your leadership team, contact Gavel International! We have years of experience organizing corporate meetings and we can help your company plan a meeting that achieves your objectives.

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SOURCE(S):

1 https://hbr.org/2018/12/when-managers-break-down-under-pressure-so-do-their-teams

Jim Bozzelli
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