Part 2 of Leadership Power Stress: Three Essentials for Rejuvenation

 Part 2 of Leadership Power Stress: Three Essentials for Rejuvenation

"One experience that arises from the use of influence and sense of accountability felt in leadership roles is power stress." - (Resonant Leadership, Harvard Business School Press, 2005; Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee)



One must use influence or power to be a leader. It entails accountability to the corporation and calls for putting the requirements of the business ahead of personal ones. Leaders are constantly being observed and assessed. Power stress is caused by all of these factors, which also raise the pressure.



Leaders risk burnout and dissonance with those they lead if they are unaware of power stress and what it takes to rejuvenate themselves.



The Conundrum of Leadership



This is known as the leadership paradox, according to Daniel Goleman, an expert on emotional intelligence in businesses: "For leaders, the first task in management has nothing to do with leading others; step one poses the challenge of knowing and managing oneself."



This comprises:



Linking up with the core principles that direct us

Giving our activities a purpose

- Matching our feelings to our objectives

Maintaining our motivation

Maintaining our attention and focus



We feel satisfied with our actions when we follow these internal guidelines. These feelings are infectious. People we influence experience the same feelings of positivity, energy, and enthusiasm about their work as we as leaders do. However, we can only continue to be highly effective if we can control the cycles of renewal and sacrifice.



The Renewal Process's Three Essentials



Being alert and conscious of when we lose touch with ourselves and the people we lead is the first step. Without having highly developed senses of self- and other-awareness—two essential components of emotional intelligence—we are unable to realize this.



Developing awareness skills leads to mindfulness, which is the ability to recognize multiple layers of what is happening both inside and outside of us. Living in a condition of complete, conscious awareness of oneself, other people, and the environment in which we work and live is known as mindfulness.



Hope and compassion are two other components that aid in healing and rejuvenation. Hope gives us the confidence to think that the future we want is possible. Hope is closely related to optimism because it motivates others and us in our pursuit of our objectives.



Compassion is the third essential component for rejuvenation. We get additional energy and healing when we can relate to the needs and desires of others. A leader is lifted up out of self-centered, narrow-minded concerns by compassion. It broadens our horizons by emphasizing other people. Such empathy and connection are what will keep leaders from slipping into a haughty, self-absorbed mindset. This change gives leaders a revitalization of spirit. And for leaders to remain effective, they must not only rejuvenate themselves but also preserve their leadership effectiveness.



The Mind and Contemporary Speech



Consider the studies before writing off the ideas of compassion, hope, and mindfulness as new-age jargon. The value of cultivating mindfulness and experiencing compassion and hope is highlighted by recent research in the fields of management science, psychology, and neuroscience. There is scientific evidence to support these practices.



It everything comes down to the mind. The sympathetic or parasympathetic nervous systems receive messages from the brain after it has processed information. These two systems induce fight-or-flight or calm-and-relaxation responses in the body.



Systems that lead to activity and those that lead to recovery are both necessary for optimal functioning. Regretfully, organizations tend to place minimal attention or support on activities related to rejuvenation and recovery.



These are a few typical healing practices that activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is in charge of rejuvenation:



Meditating

Strolling (as a method of meditation)

Stretching and yoga

Sports (competitive or not, team or solo)

Singing and dancing

Laughing and humor

Playing musical instruments

Watching movies

reading books (both business-related and novel)

Volunteering

delivering instruction

involvement with religious or philosophical organizations

Interests

family-oriented undertakings



Naturally, the two nervous systems and the entire body are involved in each of these actions. It's all in the mindset. At any point, one could let desire and rivalry to get in the way of unwinding and recuperating. Once more, the secret is to be conscious and aware of how we take care of our bodies, minds, and spirits.



Good leadership techniques, which are measurable and characterized, are far different from trendy, meaningless language frequently seen in magazine articles. These theories—that stress related to leadership can be reduced by using compassion, hope, and mindfulness as a means of rejuvenation—are supported by empirical evidence and make sense.



They also apply as pertinent practices. Not only do they make logic, but they are also simple to implement in the working environment of a leader. To improve mindfulness and cultivate self- and other-awareness, one can practice a variety of mindfulness exercises. Hiring an experienced executive coach is the ideal option for this assignment, as it is for many other leadership development initiatives.



This is the second of two parts in author Patsi Krakoff's article on Leadership Power Stress. We looked at the origins of power stress in part 1.

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