Leadership – When the Leader is Finding it Hard to Lead

As you may know, I work with many leaders around the country as a coach and mentor; I am very humbled to be able to provide assistance and guidance to some amazing people. I often learn from them during my sessions or receive reminders of the importance of various leadership activities and traits and at times my own short comings.

In today’s session, I was reminded of one of the biggest challenges that a great positive leader faces, is the challenge of actually leading in the right direction all the time. Being a leader can be relatively simple when things are going well, but what happens during difficult times, times when our teams are frustrated and negative? What happens when the leader shares the frustrations of their team? Today we discussed how to lead a team during this time.

Let me share a few of our findings;

• Be real with the team, let them know you too are frustrated, but convey this in a realistic emotionless manner
• Ensure the team understand you are choosing to see the glass half full, however difficult it may be
• Constantly refer back to the core values of the business, are we or how can we embrace these in the current circumstances
• Empower the team to identify what they can influence to improve, even slightly, the situation.
• Provide the team with the task of formulating solutions, several of them, and if appropriate and differing expenditure levels

In times of challenge, your team are watching your every action; they look to you for not only guidance but confirmation that “things will get better”. Your first step…. Believe it yourself!

- Fiona Blayney