Leadership Freak

JULY 21, 2021

Stress has good intentions. But stress throws a fit when you ignore it. Stress doesn’t care what you do as long as you… Continue reading → It tells you to stay alert, prepare, avoid, or fight.

Stress 245

Stress How To Tips 245

Leadership Freak

JUNE 23, 2020

Stress isn’t a germ you catch from an uncovered sneeze. Stress isn’t a thing. Scientists examine the results of stress, but they can’t examine stress itself. Stress is a monster that rises inside… Continue reading →

Stress 231

Stress Leadership Development Development Leadership 231

Leadership Freak

OCTOBER 15, 2020

Passing the buck in a high stress situation means you’ve reached your peak. Others handle day-to-day challenges. But the hot potato lands in your hands. But an aspiration to advance requires resolve to… Continue reading →

Stress 245

Stress Environment 245

Leadership Freak

NOVEMBER 23, 2021

Fretting over things beyond your control is impotence stressing over incompetence. The worst stress comes from resisting… Continue reading → Sailors don’t resist the wind. You can’t deal with the storm until you acknowledge the wind.

Stress 163

Stress Resistance How To Environment 163

Leadership Freak

JUNE 8, 2020

It’s not the work that stresses you out. 15 Sources of stress for leaders: Incompetence. It’s doing it alone. You’re flaying in water that’s too deep for your current abilities. Procrastination. Lack of… Continue reading →

Stress 146

Stress Succession Leadership Development Development 146

Leadership Freak

OCTOBER 27, 2022

How do you lower stress?

Stress 237

Stress Leadership Development Development Leadership 237

Leadership Freak

JUNE 10, 2020

” Nelson DeMille 3 ways to use stress for advantage: #1. Stress tells you to wait.… “Somehow our devils are never quite what we expect when we meet them face to face.” Schedule decisions. … Continue reading →

Stress 170

Stress How To Succession Leadership Development 170

Leadership Freak

MARCH 31, 2020

15 discussion topics that strengthen teams during stress: What do you admire about your team members? Direct reports? What strengths/skills/attributes does our team have that will help us thrive during the next 30… Continue reading →

Stress 198

Stress Team Report Skills 198

Leadership Freak

NOVEMBER 10, 2014

The way you think about yourself is the biggest factor in stress and productivity. Stress isn’t “out there,” it’s inside you. 10 ways to increase stress: Hide mistakes. Pretend you know. Make excuses. Expect perfection.…

Stress 261

Stress Leadership Development Power Succession 261

Leadership Freak

OCTOBER 11, 2019

Stress isn’t all bad: No stress is boring. Reasonable doses of stress challenge you… Continue reading → You do some of your old job and some managing too. It’s a pressure cooker of tasks and responsibilities.

Stress 114

Stress How To Management Succession 114

Leadership Freak

DECEMBER 12, 2012

Talking about stress is stressful. Stress builds up. Disproportionate reactions indicate stress build-up. It’s one more problem to solve. But, ignoring it never resolves it. Mary says, “Would you mind handing me that pencil?” Bob responds in anger, “You’re always asking for something. Get it yourself!”

Stress 228

Stress Covey Tips Succession 228

Leadership Freak

FEBRUARY 1, 2024

It's stressful to host a crucial conversation. Timely action increases success and lowers stress. Not having it is worse. Every day is dark when you delay difficult conversations, but most of us do.

Tips 254

Tips Stress Succession Leadership Development 254

Leadership Freak

SEPTEMBER 8, 2016

Stress is a thistle patch. Stress is a magnifying glass. Stress is a straw. Top 4 external stress points for managers: People problems. Delivering more results with fewer resources and people. Conflicting expectations… Continue reading →

Stress 100

Stress Management Resources Leadership Development 100

Leadership Freak

JANUARY 18, 2024

Stupid questions add stress. Here's how to stop asking "why questions" that create adversarial conversations. It natural to ask why, but it's the wrong question when someone misses the mark.

Stress 281

Stress How To Leadership Development Development 281

Leadership Freak

JULY 22, 2021

Stress is self-inflicted. You might like to blame high prices or bad bosses, but stress is creating all our own crosses. Stress is made by voices in your head, not circumstances, people, or… Continue reading →

Stress 245

Stress Price How To Tips 245

Leadership Freak

JULY 23, 2021

The gap between responsibility and ability is where stress lives. Your boss assigns a task that stretches your skillset or overstuffs your schedule – stress! Two factors influence your response to stressful situations… Continue reading →

Stress 241

Stress How To Influence Tips 241

Leadership Freak

DECEMBER 16, 2016

Leaders cause themselves stress and frustration when they sweep performance concerns under the carpet. The things you don’t say make your belly hurt. Discomfort: I recently asked a group of leaders, “What makes… Continue reading →

Stress 100

Stress Leadership Development Development Leadership 100

Leadership Freak

JULY 24, 2021

This week all my posts focused on stress. Remember that stress doesn’t come from… Continue reading → For your convenience – just in case you missed one – all the posts are listed below with links.

Stress 243

Stress Tips 243

Leadership Freak

APRIL 9, 2020

“Holding people accountable” feels oppressive – like pressuring reluctant people to do something they resist. Insecurity, lack of clarity, and lack of follow-up make accountability frustrating. Frustration turns accountability into punishment. Develop… Continue reading →

Stress 178

Stress Resistance Follow-up Development 178

Leadership Freak

MARCH 22, 2020

I hope you had a little time to unwind this weekend. I wouldn’t be surprised if you didn’t. The sad news is this week looks as uncertain as last. I know you don’t… Continue reading →

Stress 179

Stress Leadership Development Development Leadership 179

Leadership Freak

JUNE 13, 2018

It’s great to have someone show interest in you. A friend, Richard Croad from New Zealand, just asked about highlights I have experienced over the last couple years. Lot’s of things highlights come to… Continue reading →

Stress 138

Stress Strategy Power Leadership Development 138

Leadership Freak

JUNE 30, 2017

What gives you the right to put someone in a situation that makes their palms sweat? Positive intention. Shared values. Known commitments. Open relationship. Challenge or coddle: Coddling prevents people from soaring. Compassionate… Continue reading →

Stress 162

Stress How To Commitment Positioning 162

Leadership Freak

JUNE 22, 2023

How can you make it delightful to work with you, even in high stress environments? I had a conversation with a high performing leader who is great at setting goals for results. But it's time to set goals for relationships.

Goal 196

Goal Stress Environment Leadership Development 196

Leadership Freak

JUNE 28, 2022

Experienced leaders are coming to grips with a younger workforce that wants more out of life than working long stressful hours. Stressed employees want to minimize pressure. Leaders feel pressure to do more… Continue reading →

Stress 184

Stress 184

Leadership Freak

APRIL 21, 2023

Sincere leaders stress over developing people. But people are responsible for their own development. You provide development opportunities and encouragement. Level of experience and competence determines your level of involvement. Coaches approach professional… Continue reading →

Development 183

Development Stress Leadership Development Leadership 183

Leadership Freak

JULY 27, 2022

Stress goes up when you take responsibility for things you can’t control. You’re doomed when you confuse ‘accountable for’ with ‘responsible for’ #1. Leaders aren’t responsible for results. Leaders are not responsible for… Continue reading →

Stress 233

Stress Leadership Development Development Leadership 233

Leadership Freak

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

Chronic worry triggers ‘stress hormones’ that elevate your heart and breathing, raise… Continue reading → Worry isn’t just in your head. You feel worry in your body. Some have stomach issues, others neck and shoulder pain.

Power 209

Power Stress Leadership Development Development 209

Leadership Freak

JUNE 26, 2020

Stressful times create emotional turmoil. Emotional conflict on the team always hurts and often harms. Leadership includes managing emotion, both your own and others’ How to Show Up During Emotional Turmoil: #1. Always… Continue reading →

How To 243

How To Stress Team Leadership 243

Leadership Freak

JUNE 5, 2020

88% of leaders report that work is a primary source of stress. What if stress is good for you? These are stressful times. We’d love to avoid or prevent crisis and tragedy. But there’s… Continue reading →

Stress 147

Stress Crisis Report Leadership Development 147

Leadership Freak

JUNE 29, 2022

The average leader begins the day stressed. Heart attacks are more likely in the morning and may be connected to adrenaline. Thinking about the next thing while you do this thing means you’ve… Continue reading →

Stress 214

Stress 214

Leadership Freak

JULY 28, 2021

Our granddaughter and her friends feel sad and stressed these days. Who could blame them? She’s sixteen. Dahlia happily told us about her new job while we ate lunch. She waits tables at… Continue reading →

Positioning 246

Positioning Stress Team 246

Leadership Freak

AUGUST 27, 2022

When knees buckle and people are stressed, you want to give strength. When your friends face critical life-decisions, you want to be their go-to person. When leaders around you stumble, you want them… Continue reading →

How To 181

How To Stress Advice 181

Leadership Freak

NOVEMBER 7, 2015

Too much problem-solving is a problem. Dis-empowered employees want you to solve their problems for them. Successful leaders help others solve problems. This post originates with a problem-centric-email I received. It only took 30 minutes… Continue reading →

Stress 100

Stress Succession Leadership Development Development 100

Leadership Freak

JANUARY 5, 2022

How to bring up thorny issues: 5 reasons people avoid thorny issues: The burden of feeling right creates stress to convince… Continue reading → Normal people choose pleasure over pain. It’s normal to avoid thorny issues.

How To 192

How To Stress Goal Succession 192

Leadership Freak

OCTOBER 5, 2020

Stress and frustration accumulate when you splash around today the same way you splashed yesterday. The struggle to keep your head above water provides little opportunity to reflect, adapt, and start again. Recurring… Continue reading →

Energy 240

Energy How To Stress Succession 240

Leadership Freak

APRIL 21, 2020

Stress and anxiety reveal the danger of distraction and power of… Continue reading → I haven’t been a fan of all the mumbo jumbo about being present, until recently. Maybe I had too much to do?

Stress 174

Stress How To Power Leadership Development 174

Leadership Freak

MARCH 11, 2020

Stressed leaders have stressed teams. Emotion is contagious. Angry leaders are surrounded by anxiety. You care about the way work feels because: Motivation is a feeling. Momentum is a feeling. Vitality is a… Continue reading →

Stress 162

Stress Motivation Team Succession 162