This Is The Time When People Need Your Calm, Presence and Leadership The Most

Life is throwing a curveball, there’s no doubt about it. It’s hard to know exactly what to say or do right now.

You might be scared and more anxious than usual, trying to figure out schedule changes, unexpectedly working from home, schools closing and figuring out how to get your work done and care for your kids (and not lose your mind trying to do both), and worry about your health or business or future. Or all of the above.

For me, had this happened five years ago, I would have been feeling far more stressed, be in my head worrying about every worst-case scenario, making frantic and reactive decisions, and snapping at my husband and kids because I was feeling overwhelmed and distracted with everything going on.

I probably would have seemed calm on the outside with work, but felt like a mess on the inside from all the worries and fear.

And, I certainly wouldn't have been looking for the positive . . . yet anyways.

If this feels like what you’re going through now, I want you to know it’s totally normal. We are human after all.

But the downside, and what happens too often, is you let the fear, anxiety, and worry take over.

This can paralyze you and leave you feeling even less focused, more anxious, making reactive decisions, and stealing your sense of calm and presence.

At a time when you need your calm and presence the most.

While we can’t control what’s happening around us, we always have a choice of how we view and respond.

There are things you can do to feel less stressed, take care of yourself and focus on what really matters during this time. And, let go of what isn’t serving you.

This has been one of the biggest lessons I have learned in the past few years.

Today, what it’s like for me is a deep sense of peace and calm even amongst the chaos and uncertainty.

I can focus on what really matters and let go of the rest. When worries pop up, I can quickly shift out of them, and I completely avoid getting caught up in worst-case scenarios.

I am light and fun (and practical) with the kids and appreciate this time with them, rather than being annoyed they are home or feeling guilty that they are playing too many video games and not doing enough schoolwork right now.

And, I am present and being there for my coaching clients and others who want that support.

The old me would have probably stopped taking on new clients or not write this article because I had my own ‘stuff’ to deal with . . . and because that would be easier than showing up for you here.

But, I deeply know that, in fact, what I can offer is exactly what people need from me the most.

I need to step up as a leader here, not shy away.

And it’s a time that you can step up and be the leader you want to be, for your team, your colleagues, your family and yourself.

Because people need your calm and presence and leadership more than ever.

They need you to be able to think clearly, be a role model and positive influence, and focus on what you can control (and let go of what you can’t).

They need you to remain optimistic and help them see a positive path forward even though it’s a challenging time and so much uncertainty.

They need you to be practical and level-headed.

And, they need you to take care of yourself too so you can show up in that way for them.

When you are feeling stressed and anxious, it clouds your thinking, makes a situation much harder than it needs to be, and hides your best self.

This does not mean pretending that everything is OK. It's acknowledging how you're feeling AND recognizing that you have a choice in how you view and respond.

So, while this is a challenging time of uncertainty and unprecedented change, it’s also a huge opportunity for you to step up, lead confidently and create positive change.

You can set a positive and calm tone with your team and your kids, instead of panic and negativity.

You can loosen the reins and trust your team to work from home and still deliver while giving them the flexibility to manage their own schedule and figure out a new normal with work and kids at home.

You can let go of what your ‘normal’ looks like for now and adjust your expectations. Yes, you might just have someone’s kid pop on a conference call and that’s just the way it is right now!

You can show compassion and patience instead of being angry and frustrated with other people who maybe aren’t showing up as their best right now because they are feeling stressed and anxious.

You can look for creative ways to keep the days light and novel at home, instead of being frustrated and bored.

You can stay grounded, keep perspective, and be grateful for what you do have.

You can take care of yourself, adjust your expectations and cut yourself some slack.

This can be the perfect opportunity for you to slow down, build your resilience and figure out what you need to feel calmer and present . . . not only over the next few weeks but in your life.

So, what’s the opportunity here for you? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!

All my best to you, Stacey

P.S.

A few people have asked me if I am continuing with my Be At Your Best 90-Day Small Coaching Program starting March 30 and the answer is YES, absolutely.

Because I feel calm, positive, practical and that I can really support other busy leaders and high-achievers to experience the same. So you can be your best even in the midst of chaos.

I am committed more than ever to working with those of you who want a partner, coaching and connection with like-minded professionals striving to be their best selves in the midst of stressful situations and expectations.

You are likely still working, still parenting, still doing life yet in a different way. And this might be the perfect time for you to invest in yourself and shift your thinking and behaviors to be more resourceful, resilient and positive to accomplish what you want most.

But, because there is so much uncertainty and things changing day to day, I get that you might be hesitant to commit to something right now.

Normally, I don’t do money-back refunds – for a couple of very good reasons and coaching best practices – but this is a unique situation.

So for that reason, here’s my new guarantee and commitment when you join the Be At Your Best coaching program now that starts March 30 and runs until June 26, 2020.

- If, for any reason, you are unable to continue in the program – you can choose to end the program and receive a refund for the remainder of the amount (prorated for the time) OR join the full program next time I offer it later in the year.

- Because I am so confident this will make a difference for you when you commit and leverage the coaching and resources, at the end of the program if you did the work and feel you didn’t receive the value you expected, you just let me know and I will give you a full refund. I am that confident and certain this can help people, especially in these times.

CLICK HERE for all the program details and enroll to secure your spot. If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to book a call and we can chat to see if this is right for you.

Remember, you've got this!

What Next?

You can sign up for Stacey's masterclass, The Confident "No" here.

Stacey L. Olson is a Leadership and Certified Positive Psychology Coach, has 15 years of corporate experience and has gone through her own transformational change from burning out to balanced in life while performing at a high level (both in her corporate career and own business). She works with professionals who want to work less, live more and be their best even with all the demands, high expectations and messiness of everyday life. Stacey is the founder of The Balanced Leader™ program and offers executive and leadership coaching, workshops, and speaking.