Andrew Dick as part of his role on TEC Chair has published an article on building resilience as a means of relieving stress. https://au.linkedin.com/in/andrewrdick http://tec.com.au/

1. Stressed? The Answer
Lies in Building Resilience
By Andrew Dick, TEC Chair

2. Just last week, I sat down to
a fascinating presentation
from Lynn Leahy on the topic
of stress among senior
business leaders. As I looked
around the room at the
attendants, it was clear that
many were experiencing that
same stress and could
benefit from building their
resilience towards it.

3. Since then, I've been thinking
a lot about the presentation
and the topic of stress. In
many ways, Lynn's
presentation raised a set of
ideas that I've always
thought were true, but have
never quite been able to
express coherently myself -
which is certainly the sign of
a good speaker!
After thinking about that
presentation, I thought it was
time to outline those key
takeaways I took from that
event and how it fitted into
my own intuitions about the
value of being a resilient
leader. ?

4. The far-reaching impact of stress
If you are thinking about how you can better
manage stress, the first step is to recognise just how
damaging it can be to your productivity and ability
to lead an organisation.
Of course, a little pressure can help us to perform
better, but too much can have far-reaching
consequences for your ability to lead, not to mention
taking its toll on your well-being. Recognising this
harm gives you the platform you’ll need to start
doing something about it.

5. Building your self-awareness
Perhaps the biggest problem with stress is that
we don't see it. Stress is seen as a normal part of
so many leadership roles that taking a step back
and critically evaluating your own workload can
be incredibly difficult.
Without giving away everything that Lynn said,
one of the big takeaways for me was that stress
isn't just in your head. It can result in very real
physiological responses like muscle tension,
indigestion and disrupted sleep patterns.

6. Building your self-awareness
There are also plenty of behavioural
concerns that might point to a problem
with stress. You could be drinking more,
eating more (or less), finding yourself
more irritable or just having unusual mood
changes. All of these are symptomatic of a
high level of stress.
The bigger picture of these direct
symptoms is that you will lose focus and
drive. If stress is a problem across your
team, you won't be achieving your joint
goals.

7. Becoming a resilient leader
At the end of the day, stress isn't going
anywhere. Leaders aren't going to stop
putting in long hours or experiencing the
strain of their role. All of us will, from time to
time, find ourselves coping with stress in our
own ways.
Resilient leaders will be those who are able to
identify these symptoms in themselves and
bounce back. They might have a few drinks
after a stressful day - that's only natural - but
they are self-aware enough that this coping
mechanism doesn't become a few drinks
every night.

8. Becoming a resilient leader
In other words, a resilient leader is able to
bounce back from stressful situations, while
also seeking the feedback of those around
them so they become better leaders after a
stressful situation.
“That touches on the other side of a
resilient leader: They build resilient
teams around them.”
?!

9. Developing a stress-resilient team
It isn't enough to reduce the amount of
stress that you are experiencing as a
leader, you also have to look at your team.
In fact, one of the key messages I get from
Lynn's presentation was the importance of
meeting with your direct reports regularly.
In an ideal world, this would be every two
weeks, but in practice an hour a month
should be enough to keep in touch with
your team. What's more, this provides you
with an opportunity to keep tabs on the
stress levels of your staff and also track any
improvements in their workload.
Yes, this might seem like a lot of time if you
have a number of direct reports, but these
meetings will always be constructive and
rewarding. When done well, these one-on-
ones can also provide an opportunity to
really address the workload and stress
levels your staff are experiencing.

10. Developing a stress-resilient team
The good news is that one of the best
solutions to stress in your personal life is to
build that support network around you.
This could be within your organisation or
just with people you know. However, they
should all be people who are able to hold
you to account and tell you if you are
overworked or exhibiting those signs of
stress.
At the end of the day, resilient leaders build
resilient teams around them, who in turn
can help them be resilient themselves. This
virtuous cycle can never completely end
stress in the workplace, but it can ensure it
doesn't become a destructive force within
your organisation.

11. Get in touch
Andrew Dick, TEC Chair
Email: adick@nem.net.au
Connect: https://au.linkedin.com/in/andrew-dick-9b6b2a19
As a mentor at The Executive Connection (TEC) I assemble and facilitate private
group meetings for CEOs, senior executives and business owners. Members
participate in monthly, Chair-led private group meetings.
Our global network has more than 20,000 members in 16 countries that also have
access to one-to-one executive mentoring, expert speakers, and a global network of
business leaders. Click here to find out more about executive leadership development
and mentoring opportunities, or email me at adick@nem.net.au