Over the many years that we have coached leaders, a common theme has been stress from wearing so many hats. Some leaders simply feel burned out by the demands of their job.
A great way to combat stress is to build. I’m not talking about building a house or an office building. If you have those skills that’s great. Instead, I am pointing to things every leader can build which not only produce great results but also creates energy, reduces worry, and creates direction.
Consider building your mental strength. When we are challenged to learn new things, it gives renewed energy and engagement. This is true not only for yourself but also your team. Highly effective people are typically also tackling new areas that increase their skills and knowledge.
Leaders also need to build their organization. Building goals, strategies and action plans gives direction to our efforts. It aligns your team and causes us to focus on what we can do, rather than worry about challenges. You can’t control what others will do but you can control how much time you spend on worrying, which does nothing to improve things.
What are you building? Nothing is more gratifying than looking back and saying, “Our team built that!” Consider becoming a general contractor who is building yourself, your team and your organization.
