IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO AVOID STRESS – BUT HERE’S HOW LEADERS CAN MANAGE IT BETTER
A leadership expert has explained why stress is something people can use to build resilience in the workplace rather than be afraid of.
Drew Povey, founder of the Drew Povey Consultancy, has said stress isn’t something we need to “escape” from, but should be “understood, channelled and coached.”
And Drew, who has worked with multinational companies and leading sports figures, says teams should not assume that stress “will automatically break us.”
Speaking in the wake of International Stress Awareness Week Drew said: “I believe we should be focusing on the importance of stress management instead of thinking it’s something we can completely avoid,” says Drew.
“Stress has an impact on our physical and mental health but it’s unrealistic to think we can escape it entirely – particularly for people who are taking risks in businesses and have responsibilities which affect the success of an organisation.
“There are tactics I’ve used with professional sports teams which I think can be transferred to the workplace improve performance
“If people get the plan right and support themselves and each other, pressure is something we can use to build us rather than automatically assume that it will break us.”
Here Drew shares his five top-tactics to reduce stress and improve performance
- You can’t coach what you don’t notice.
In sport, awareness wins games and the same applies in any aspect of our lives. You can’t do something about increasing stress levels if you aren’t cognisant of the signs just as spotting trends or mistakes in a game allows a team to prepare.
Stress becomes a problem when it spirals out of control and when you are unaware of what is causing it.
As humans we have the resilience to deal with challenges, but what breaks us is when they are unrelenting or inevitable, because bad practices aren’t challenged and changed. In order to successfully lead a team you have to be aware of what is going on, where the challenges are, what is causing stress and when it becomes a problem.
- Control the controllables
We should focus our energy only on what is in our sphere of influence. Ask yourself, what is it we can influence? And then if we can’t influence that, well, we’ve got to try really hard to let it go – or at least manage it. You won’t be able to solve all the problems and nor should you be expected to.
That doesn’t mean you should ignore it, but it’s where teamwork and communication are essential in delivering results. Stay in your lane – but just as when we drive, make sure you indicate to alert others of what is going on.
- Be your own coach
Ask yourself questions that a great coach would. ‘What’s happening?’ ‘What is it you need to do?’ ‘What matters most’? We don’t all have access to coaching or counselling but we can all put together an emotional tool kit we can draw on.
In cognitive behavioural therapy, a tried and tested technique is to ‘take those thoughts to court.’ It is a great way of challenging negative thinking by examining the evidence before and against a thought or worry. By acting as your own coach, asking yourself what both the defence and prosecution might put forward, you can reach a more balanced and realistic conclusion based on evidence.
Resetting the mindset and focusing on our priorities can address feelings of being overwhelmed, which is often at the heart of stress.
- Recover like a pro
Understand the power of recovery! Every sports team will have a routine after a training session or game which is part of the training itself. The same applies to our working life. Just as our muscles build when we rest, taking time out to sleep, have a walk, take time to reflect or see friends or have a hobby all helps to stop us getting overloaded.
Performance isn’t just built in the moment of pressure, but the moment of recovery.
- Belonging beats burn out
Life really is a team sport. It’s the connections we make within teams which provides that resilience and support against stress. One of the main strategies used in the military, when teams are expected to face what are unimaginable and stressful situations for most of us, is comradeship.
Humans are tribal creatures and it’s in those tribes where we can be protected against the negative impacts of stress. The teams, the leaders, the people who check in on us and those who help share the weight of responsibility are fundamental to how we can mitigate stress and grow from it.
People who laugh together last longer and I believe they will perform stronger.
