Leadership Tip

How to cope with anxiety

Fear of failure stalks the world. That can, however, also be a useful motivator. But motivation from fear can also bring higher levels of stress, with potentially negative health consequences. So while fear is a natural state for managers and leaders alike, the ability to anticipate and overcome it is a vital skill. Here are four strategies for coping with anxiety.

  1. Awareness and control. Emotional intelligence involves being aware of one’s feelings and being able to control their influence on thought and behaviour. This is not a trait, but a skill that can be learned.
     
  2. Problem solving. Intuition and gut instinct lead to rapid and effective decision making. Feelings of fear, then, can be an important signal that work is needed. Knowing that and getting busy fixing flaws helps reduce the fear of failure.
     
  3. Learning. Help to mitigate doubts by increasing one’s capabilities. This might be through formal educational routes, or just by networking with experts and mentors.
     
  4. Seek support. Mentors provide a vital source of reassurance. Connect with people doing similar things  and you’ll find that your problems and fears are commonplace – and learn which issues are deserving of attention and which will fix themselves over time.

The above leadership tip...
was sent in response to a question from a participant on our 10/10 leadership development and mentoring programme. Whether you're a first time manager or an experienced leader, straightforward, practical advice on best practice is hard to find. Until now. To find out how you, your team or your organisation can benefit, please join us on our next complimentary webinar or contact us.

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