We have serious global environmental challenges to face,  an estimated 100 million homeless people worldwide, drugs devastating our communities everywhere, the US Financial Crisis weighing heavily on the global economy, countries at war, including our own, and that’s only the tip of the iceberg.

You have a company to run, a board of directors meeting to prepare for, programs to cut, stressed managers and disengaged employees to deal with, lawsuits to duck, profit to show, and not enough hours in a day.

You’re having acid reflux, and your teenage daughter is driving you crazy.  You and your spouse are responsible for raising your  granddaughter; your elderly mom is having health issues and lives 2,000 miles away.  At 2 PM and all you can think about is a martini.  At 2AM you’re wide awake wishing you could sleep.  You’re five years past your original retirement date, but there is no one to take your place and keep the ship afloat.

Where’s the “OFF” button?

Well, you already know this: “It is what it is”.  Dwelling on how you got here is futile and a waste of time.  It’s not about who’s to blame.  What’s done is done. You live in the future anyway. 

If you are the captain, you’re forced to live in the future.  You must know where you are going, how long it will take to get there, what actions need to be taken to make the trip successful.  You are in charge of setting the sails properly.  You are responsible for next year’s strategic plan, the 10 year growth plan, all changes to the business model or brand, what products and services to offer, what departments to consolidate, mergers and acquisitions, the budget, getting the right people in the right leadership positions, creating a succession plan, leading your company forward, acting optimistic when your stomach hurts, and dealing with all the “what-ifs” in your personal life at the same time.

So, what’s a leader to do?  You can’t stop the AIDs epidemic or the slave trafficking of young girls. You can’t guarantee your grandchildren that their children will have clean water to drink.  You may feel like you’re arranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

One coping trick is to insulate yourself.  You could just bury your head in the sand and keep doing what you’ve been doing all along.  Pop another Xanax if it gets really bad.  After all, life’s not so bad: your salary is adequate; you have some nice bennies, a big house in the burbs, plus a “ski-in, ski-out” in Park City, and an “escape” home in Maui.  You have enough money to send the kids to college and retire quite comfortably.  If you live long enough…..

Here is the question: What good is everything you’ve worked for if you take your work home, you’re on your cell phone at your kid’s soccer game and on your Blackberry during the family vacation.  Your drinking and temper causes your spouse to leave you.  What good are all the results of your hard work now, when three quarters of your net worth now disappears?  Another reason for that martini.

So, what’s the answer?  Should you just leave it all, and become a monk, or go ride the rails and see what “hobo” life is like?  Maybe, but probably not. 

Here are 10 ways to help yourself out of the “hair on fire” syndrome:

1.    Leave a legacy. There is no magic pill to take that will fix the problems of the world.  But if you have something bigger than you to work for, your work takes on a different meaning.  What is the purpose of everything you’re doing right now?  What is the bigger picture….what’s it all for? What were you sent here to do? (On a corporate level and on a personal level?)

2.    Break your adrenalin addiction. It’s natural in this hyper-competitive market to drive ourselves hard and fast. Our body creates adrenalin, which causes us perform at a higher level, temporarily.  But the physical cost of the adrenalin, long term, is illness and breakdown.

3.    Your behavior sets the company culture and brand. The people you lead absorb your values, so those values better be the ones you want represented by your company.

4.    It takes time to turn a big ship around.  Too often leaders are expected to do a 90-day project. Perhaps you know it will take 4-6 months, but you want to be a hero.  Be honest about what’s do-able. It’s a cliché now, but underpromise and overdeliver.

5.    Sometimes you have to take a step backward to move forward. This might be in the form of a planning retreat, deferring a decision, or changing some major systems and structures in your organization.

6.    Use a second pair of eyes. Being nimble and quick is important in today’s market, and sometimes an important decision has to be made quickly. When making a major decision, have someone else think it over with you. Second opinions are always smart.

7.    Practice extreme self-care. This may refer to your workout, a regular massage, a golf game, a power nap, a walk around the block, a 5-minute stretch, and/or practicing deep breathing.  If you had an expensive sports car, you wouldn’t drive it into the ground.  You’d take care of it, wouldn’t you?  Enough said.

8.    Lighten up!  Let go a little.  Forgive yourself for not getting the 4,000 things done you thought you could do today. Relax about what others will think. Sometimes “done” is better than perfect.

9.    Practice authenticity.  Be yourself. Be real.  Stuffiness sucks.  It’s on it’s way out.  The “good old boy” network is passé.  Rock the boat a little: people will find it refreshing.

10.Hire an executive performance coach.  Having someone to cheer you on, hold the mirror, hold you accountable, see you from an unbiased place, and be honest with you, will help you speed up your progress.

Lastly, remember this: it’s not about you.  You are not the center of the universe.  I know we often think we are, that’s our human condition. If you make everything you do about helping someone else, (your customers, your employees, your family, and your community), it takes your focus off yourself.  If you stay in tune, in the moment, listening actively, being aware of everything around you with all your senses, your head comes out of the sand and it’s not so bad.  No, you can’t solve it all.  You’re only one person.  But you can share a smile, give a hug, remember a name, acknowledge a job well done, give an extra measure of service, look a homeless person in the eye and say hello. Start leaving your legacy now. 

Think of this expression often: “Yesterday is history; tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift.  That’s why we call it “the present”!”

Everybody in your company wins when you start relaxing.  It’s just smart business. Self-Exam question #2: What are your coping strategies?  Are they healthy, or are you headed for burnout?  What is your plan for pacing yourself during this trip through unchartered waters? Do you need some ideas and resources? If so, call me….I’ve been in your shoes.

Committed to your success,

Executive Coach Julia

Copyright 2008 Julia Marrocco All Rights Reserved

Tags: Add new tag, burnout, business coping strategies, economic change, economy, Executive Coach, focus, Leadership, performance issues, pressure, stress, Stress Management

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