Leadership Series | Ways to handle the pressure as a Manager right now

 

2020 was a roller-coaster year for everybody. While the individual contributors have their own different levels of pressure; on the other hand, if you are a manager handling a team, the pressure is diverse and difficult. It is because you have a dynamic role requiring you to keep switching positions. You have a responsibility towards your organization as well as your team. From achieving targets, keeping teams motivated, and extinguishing work-from-home burnout, to maintaining the balance between the personal and professional life, your decisions and actions require a very well thought and structured approach.

So as a manager do you feel that you barely can do the work that you are hired for? Do you feel that things are piling up on your plate? And it is building a high level of stress and pressure? The good news is that you don’t have to go that far. If you follow a few tested tips and tricks to handle pressure, then you can get a lot done and at the same time utilize your extra time. Here’s how:

• Be self-compassionate – Self-compassion turns your inner critic into an inner coach which helps gain acceptance of your weakness, loosening the crippling grip of negative emotions like guilt, worry, and insecurity; allowing you to focus on devising a strategy for gradual improvement and growth. Self-compassion will help you build a framework of responsibility, motivation, camaraderie, satisfaction, and kindness. Research says that those who exhibit compassion are more likely to have the emotional resilience to combat suffering, anxiety, burnout, or stress.
  
  
• Reflect on your purpose – As a manager, you should develop and convey a strong sense of purpose that aligns with your goals, your team, and the organization. This will help your team to understand how their role connects to your and the organization’s objective.
  
  
• Reframe the situation - Reframing is positive when you choose to take a difficult situation and make something positive out of it. Always try to find out an innovative way to deal with a problem or a challenge. This will make your combat interesting and help you to cope with stress and manage change.
  
  
• Build a positive mindset – The power of positive thinking is a popular concept. Practicing a positive mindset is a powerful process to improve your personal and professional life. Be mindful about your emotions and stay away from negative ones; always force yourself to think positively and maintain a positive outlook.
  
  
• Focus on the bigger picture – Always engage yourself in strategic planning and effective implementation. Instead of you micromanaging the team, spend time in connecting them with the vision. Encourage and empower your team to find their ways to achieve it, while you maintain your and your team’s focus on the goals.
  
  
• Embrace your humanity – Use humanity as a strength. Build a relationship with your team which is based on trust, transparency, recognition, and empathy. Practice humanity not as a tool, but as your true character. In turn, it fosters a supportive culture, making your people feel secure and less stressed. if your people feel cared for, they will give their best to you.
  
  
• Look for outside support – There is no harm in seeking support, the journey to become an expert starts with being a beginner only. Everyone has to pass through the same stages of development and growth. Seek advice from the leaders, talk to the experts you know within or outside the organization, talk to your peer group, read the self-help literature. Knowledge transfer is always a good practice.

If you want to become a successful manager, it will not happen by accident. You must put in the conscious effort each day and keep moving in the right direction towards your goal. So, stay hungry and keep learning; be innovative and keep finding new ways to stay relevant, effective, and productive; and continuously motivate yourself and your team to achieve the best in you.