How to Lead Cool and Calm in the Face of Drama and Uncertainty
When you observe leaders you admire, of what leadership quality are you most envious?
I ask this question of many of my clients when we are working through the developmental goal setting stage of leadership coaching. Of course, there are lots of different responses, but a version of one shows up very frequently:
⚡ I want to seem calm and cool in the face of drama and uncertainty.
A leader’s ability to stay focused, make smart decisions, and ask insightful questions are needed most when the team is faced with a novel threat, under intense pressure, or stressed by conflicting demands. How do great leaders keep that calm and cool demeanor?
Rather than try to answer the “how” question, in a coaching session I might ask the client to explore their beliefs about this quality and the reasons they value it so highly.
Many assume that behind the calm and cool demeanor is a leader who:
🧠 Knows all the answers because she is an expert
🏋♂️ Has prepared / practiced for this very scenario
🤖 Simply knows no fear / anxieties / insecurities
🦄 Is smarter than everyone else or is otherwise exceptional
Many clients envy the calm and cool demeanor because they worry that they will never be the sort of superhuman. In that case, who wouldn’t find themselves envious of leaders who seem to be?
I propose that most leaders rarely meet the expectations above and certainly won’t in every situation they encounter.
❓ What happens if the rest of us mere humans let go of those expectations and gained confidence to say:
✅ I’m not an expert in every situation, but I am an expert at asking the right questions of the right people and bringing out the best in others
✅ I have prepared and practiced the ability to use my existing knowledge, data and principles to extrapolate to new and unfamiliar situations
✅ I am aware of my emotions and know how to manage them, and I can recognize and help manage emotions in the team
✅ While I didn’t anticipate this precise scenario, I knew situations like this will arise, and I am ready to mobilize myself and others
Note that this list of attributes is both achievable and more widely applicable than the superhuman expectations. Where do you want to put your development focus?
Eventually most of us reach the point where our leadership responsibilities place us in situations that we’ve not practiced, under novel stresses, and where we simply are not expert enough to know the right answer (if there is even a right answer). If you want to be the calm and cool leader in these situations, let go of false and unrealistic expectations and instead invest now to develop the skills you need.
To discuss more, connect with me here or at john@aconnectedcoach.com.