The start of 2016 sent me into a spin. Literally.
I woke in the early hours of the morning to find my bedroom whirling around me like an out of control merry go round. It was disconcerting to say the least.
Unsure what was happening, and uncertain what I could do to ‘stop the ride’, I closed my eyes and did my best to ignore the extreme nausea, hoping that when I woke again, everything would be back to normal.
But it wasn’t…not that morning, not three days later. “Temporary vertigo,” according to the doctor (though ‘temporary’ can mean anything from several days, to weeks and months).
An impending sense of dread and disillusionment took hold, as I thought of all the problems my condition would create, personally and professionally. And it only worsened each time a simple task, often a task I’d previously completed without even thinking about it, took enormous concentration and left me feeling wrecked.
Yet as funny as it sounds, given how ill I was feeling, it occurred to me at the time that many of the leaders I encounter, both in and outside my coaching and consulting practice, also experience temporary vertigo at some point in their careers—leadership vertigo.
Brought on by a wide variety of triggers—changes in reporting relationships, business uncertainty, technology disruptions, challenging behavioural issues within a team, increases in responsibility & accountability, personal issues, commercial pressures—it can strike less experienced and seasoned leaders alike, with symptoms including:
- Persistent indecisiveness
- Unpredictable mood swings
- Erratic decision making
- Terminal busyness
- Unrealistic and continually shifting expectations
- Inability to ‘switch off’
- Unwillingness to delegate
- Constant worry and stress (catastrophic thinking)
Leaders who previously felt confident and in control, suddenly (or at least so it seems) find themselves off-balance, confused, frustrated, and perhaps even disillusioned—like someone’s changed the rules, and didn’t tell them. Like nothing they try has the effect and impact they expect or desire.
So, what can you do if you find yourself struck down by leadership vertigo (or how can you avoid it in the first place)?
By going back to the basics.
Setting aside all notions of intricate leadership theory; setting aside the latest fads and leadership ‘techniques;’ and concentrating on the fundamental 4 C’s of leadership (and any relationship for that matter):
CONNECTION
Leadership vertigo has a way of disorienting you, leading you to believe that your primary role as a leader is to deliver results, when in fact it’s really to enable, challenge, support and develop others (and yourself) in ways that the desired results naturally follow. It causes you to seek the surety of tasks—to become increasingly task focussed—rather than the less certain, more challenging dynamics of relationships.
So, focussing on connection—both with yourself, and those you lead & influence—will help to restore a healthier balance between task and relationship focus. Not blindly ignoring the need to achieve results, but rather recognising that it’s with and through people that those results will be achieved.
And while there are many ways to establish or re-establish connection (another article in itself), it always starts with investing the time.
So check-in with yourself and reconnect. Take a few moments to just breathe and be exactly where you are (see my previous post for some ideas on ‘how’). Perhaps consider why it is that you do what you do; why you’ve chosen to lead and the type of leader you aspire to become. If you’re feeling flat or confused, think about who you can connect with for support or wise counsel. Give some thought to what you need—what would nourish you right now and help you to move, even a little bit, in the direction you aspire to go.
Then check-in with the people you lead and influence, individually and collectively. Not just once, but often. Give them your time and attention, formally and informally, without an ‘agenda’. Demonstrate that you’re present and engaged, whatever that brings…and begin to feel the energy that connection generates, a power far greater than any one individual on their own can create.
COMMUNICATION
When we think about communication as leaders, one of the first things that often comes to mind is ensuring that people understand the direction we’re trying to go. And make no mistake, clearly communicating ‘where it is we’re headed’ and ‘why’ is foundational to getting buy-in and helping people see where they fit in (where their effort makes a difference). So if as a result of leadership vertigo you haven’t clearly communicated or reinforced this recently, then that’s a great place to start.
But just as importantly, effective communication as a leader is often as much, if not more, about listening than talking.
When people feel heard, they feel valued and connected. And when they feel valued and connected, they bring their best, and give it to you willingly.
And listening starts with asking questions: What’s been happening/how are you tracking? Where are our hotspots right now and how do you think we should tackle them? Who else do you think we should bring in to assist us on this project? How can we continue to build on all the things we’re doing well? Why do you think we need to adjust our strategy? What more can I/we do to support you?
Listening not only builds connection, it broadens our perspective; enables us to leverage the knowledge and expertise of others; makes us aware of potential handbrakes that will either slow us down or stop us in our tracks; and opens the door to new possibilities.
It grounds us and re-orients us to what’s truly important, and puts us in dialogue—in relationship with others—providing greater clarity for both us and those we lead and influence.
CONSISTENCY
To be effective as a leader, trust is a non-negotiable. For others to follow you they must trust you, and for you to lead, you must be able to trust in yourself.
And as the politician Lincoln Chafee once said, “trust is built with consistency.” Consistency of focus (priorities), mood, communication, and decision making.
Yet when leadership vertigo takes hold, consistency is one of the first things to take a hit. When things aren’t working or making sense to us—when we’re increasingly desperate for results—we often begin to grab hold of whatever shows promise.
We become more and more reactive, perhaps even defensive, and our decision making, mood, communication and behaviour become more and more erratic. We begin to second guess ourselves more frequently (losing trust in our ability to lead) and we make it harder and harder for our followers to place their trust in us.
So when we’re feeling a bit off-balance and out of sorts as a leader—leadership vertigo taking hold—rather than ‘winging it’ (hoping that everything will work out), we need to slow down, take some time out, stop reacting, and form a plan.
A 30-day plan that includes:
- Your Top 3 Priorities for the next 30 days.
- Who you need to focus on building connection with to realise those priorities.
- How you’re going to build connection and communicate.
- How you’re going to assess your progress—identifying the check-in points and milestones which will support effective decision making.
Having a plan and then sticking to it (tweaking it here and there if required), provides a renewed sense of certainty, a clear focus, and a tool for integrating (not separating) all the people, resources, and actions required to lead in a consistent manner. An approach that will build and strengthen trust, and enable you to achieve your desired results with and through the people you lead and influence.
COMPASSION
Some might see compassion as a nice add-on rather than one of the fundamentals of effective leadership. But it’s not—it’s core.
Finding the space to be compassionate with ourselves and those we lead—to bring a friendly kindness and understanding to both our own and other’s efforts—grounds us in the human fabric that connects us all.
It helps frame our perspective and supports a decision making process that recognises each individual’s innate value and intention to contribute as best they’re able, while at the same time acknowledging the needs of the greater—the business and all its stakeholders—and the results they require.
The consistent respect for the individual that compassion encourages us to embody, helps us to both develop and maintain the trust of those we lead and influence (including ourselves), even in the face of difficult issues and tough decisions such as moving someone on, restructuring a business unit, or accepting accountability for poor results.
And compassion also reduces our fear of failure—a fear leadership vertigo fuels—by acknowledging that as humans, we all fall down or mess up at times. That sometimes our best might fall short of what’s required on the day…but there’s always a tomorrow and a next time to get up for; a tomorrow and a next time when we can apply what we’ve learned and do even better.
In short, compassion helps create an environment in which we can all be our true selves more often—free to lead and to follow in a way that’s authentic to both who we are now, and who we’re aspiring to become.