Leadership is HARD

"It's not the situation, but whether we react (negative) or respond (positive) to the situation that's important."

-Zig Ziglar

After an almost three month hiatus again, I am back with a new post.  I don't have any excuses for my lack of writing over the past few months other than the typical craziness of the time of year.  Added to the typical craziness has been some transition at work with filling open positions and covering responsibilities of those who moved on.  Now that we are heading into the summer months, positions are filled, plans are made, and we can move forward with some momentum. 

As I reflect on the past few months, I find myself thinking about the more difficult or challenging situations I have faced as a leader.  Many of these situations fall into the category of dealing with change and uncertainty.  These types of situations have the potential spin into flurry of potential possibilities that all have positive and negative ramifications.  Change and uncertainty are difficult to deal with, but they are increasingly common factors all leaders, no matter the profession, need to work through.  Change is HARD and so is being a leader.

I find in these types of situations it is easy to lose perspective.  The uncontrolled events of the day dominate time and become the default priority of the day.  Meanwhile, the long range strategic priorities on the "to do" list get pushed back because they don't have a strict deadline.  Days turn into weeks, and weeks into months and you wonder what has been accomplished beyond weathering a series of storms.

I wish I had a silver bullet solution...I don't...but the only thing I do have is a short list of reflections of things I have taken away from my expereinces over the past months.

1.  Lean on your team!  Because of how leadership is commonly viewed in our sociey, even the most inclusive leaders have a tendancy to slip into thinking we have to solve every problem.  The people you work with can be great resources for problem solving and gaining perspective.

2.  Take a step back!  In the midst of back to back meetings and seemingly never ending days, it may seem counterintuitive to step out of the daily grind for awhile.  I understand the desire to dig in and keep rolling, but that mentality only leads to creating your own tunnel underneath a mountain.  Taking a step back will help clear your head.

3.  Review your guideing principles.  Many organizations have a mission statement, vision, core values, learning outcomes, etc.  In times of difficulty, it is even more important to review those principles of keep them in mind as you wade through challenging situations.  These documents are not meant to be just words on a page, but a roadmap for how to stay true to your mission.

4.  Remember what is important!  That is easier said than done, but the long standing commitment to your mission should trump any temporary issue you need to address.  Try to block out the noise created in difficult situations and focus on how you can stay true to your core values.

"It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness."
-Seneca

I would love to hear how you work through the challenging situations in your leadership life.  Any perspectives you'd be willing to share?  I would love to hear!  Leave a comment below or post on my facebook page.  www.facebook.com/renewingleadership!