stress Archives

Leadership

Pandemic Leadership: Find Your Focus

By Marguerite Ham May 22, 2020 August 31, 2020 itemprop="discussionURL"0

With the coronavirus pandemic affecting our world, nation, communities, workplaces, and families, as Angela Duckworth says, “If you’re not stressed right now, you’re not alive!” That does not mean that we must become victims of the stress, anxiety and fear that are currently front and center in many of our lives. As leaders, we must be in tune with how we, ourselves, are feeling, how our staff members are feeling, and how to get the support we and others may need. Find your own focus to get through stressful times. What is the Difference Between Stress, Anxiety and Fear? They may feel the same at times; however, they are quite different. Definition of Stress: There are several definitions, however, for this blog, the most relevant definition is: “A state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.” With the shock and uncertainty that have rocked our world, it is no wonder most of us are experiencing some form of stress. As companies are moving forward with “getting back to work,” most are dealing with how to keep their staff members Physically and Psychologically Safe, which leads to stress for the leaders of the company …

Self care, Self Improvement, Success

Apathy … Sooner or Later

By Marguerite Ham March 15, 2017 March 16, 2020 itemprop="discussionURL"0

Sooner or later, Apathy strikes! It may show up in our personal lives, and it may show up in our professional lives. And, as we know, if we have a personal challenge it can, and most likely will, creep into our professional lives as well. So, it is important to be self-aware of when you are having these feelings and dig into their root cause. By definition, apathy is where we feel a lack of motivation, incentive, and enthusiasm, not just for work, but for many areas in our lives. Typically, many factors contribute to these feelings, including circumstances and conditions around us. When we succumb to some of the negative aspects of these circumstances, we tend to lose hope. Self awareness is key Here are some root causes of apathy, that may be contributing to your personal feelings: Stress Disappointment Difficulty in reaching personal and/or professional goals Loss of faith in yourself or others My research shows that if one does not identify the root cause and move through it, apathy can lead to deeper, more destructive feelings like guilt, shame and self-pity. That is not where we want to go! Apathy is a temporary state of being – …

Leadership, Life Balance

Leading Staff through Holiday Stress

By Marguerite Ham December 19, 2014 March 13, 2020 itemprop="discussionURL"0

The holidays are a busy time and can be truly challenging, both personally and professionally. Often when we are stressed, going in too many directions, overwhelmed, or dealing with organizational changes, our EQ takes a real nosedive; regardless of our rank or position (CEO’s to the front lines)! If, during stressful times, we take a few minutes to take a deep breath and think things through before we speak, we move from reactive mode to proactive mode and avoid being “inhumane”, which always turns out to be counter-productive. Recognizing Humanity in Organizations All organizations are “living organisms” filled with human beings. A colleague of mine, Sandi Cardillo, has a beautiful saying: “Make change more human for the humans.” Regardless of the type of change — loss of staff, shuffling the organizational chart, financial reorganization, company growth, etc. — the goal should be to “make the change more human for the humans”. As leaders, our goal is to get things done through others. As leaders, it is our job to set the compass for all our team members to grow and to bring their own capabilities (strengths) to the organization. As leaders, we create the environment for them to succeed by getting them in the right seat of the bus and then trusting they have the capability …