Am I Doing this Right?
This one nagging question haunts many leaders, from first line supervisors to CEOs. More troublesome than the question itself is leaders’ inability to answer it for themselves. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my own leadership experiences and nearly 20 years helping fellow leaders’ success, it’s that we’re not in a great position to gauge our own success. Leaders need sounding boards. We need to surround ourselves with other leaders who can challenge us and support us.
Unfortunately numerous studies have found that most leaders feel lonely and isolated in their positions. This feeling that no one has their back – that everyone around them holds either judgments or hidden agendas – exacerbates day-to-day stress. Add to this the nagging question of “How am I doing?”, and no wonder two-thirds of leaders find their level of stress is unmanageable.
It’s clear that many leaders need stronger support systems. What’s not clear is why, in a world filled with leadership experts, coaches, courses, and programs, these support systems are so rare? Pulling from my experiences both as a coach and as a mental health leader, here are a few hypotheses:
The Stigma of Needing Help. Stigma is the #1 reason why most people struggling with anxiety, depression, and associated behaviors don’t get the support they need. Leaders, who live in the spotlight of their organization, may feel the stigma of needing help more so than those who can more easily hide among their peers.
Competing Interests. Leaders have a particularly difficult time finding neutral thought partners. Their peers have goals and agendas of their own. Leaders of similar industries compete in the same marketplace. It’s tough to form a community of leaders who are committed to one another’s success.
Logistics. Too often it’s the small stuff that gets in the way of leaders’ intention to build their support network. Scheduling difficulties, lack of meeting prep or follow-up, and lost momentum can diminish the return on investment and thus reduce leaders’ willingness to engage consistently, which undermines the potential of these connections.
It’s painful to see these barriers get in the way of leaders’ fundamental needs for support, connection, and good-natured challenge. So as usual, I’m out to change this state of affairs. In partnership with my colleague Chalmers Brothers, I’m creating a Leadership Accelerator Series that handles all the annoying logistics of bringing together leaders from across industries. Together we’ll create a safe, judgment-free platform for working through each members’ challenges and opportunities. In this accelerator series, “needing help” equates to being human, and “being vulnerable” is the path to next level leadership.
Click here to learn more or contact me for details.
