The Coach’s Corner Newsletter #107
When one of my clients referred to the storm that just passed through her org this week – I was reminded of the powerful thunderstorm that woke up everyone in our household a few days ago.
The fan stopped running as the power went out, the dogs jumped on the bed trying to find comfort and the cracking noise of the thunder and lightning kept us awake for nearly an hour. And then everything got quiet. The storm had passed.
Fortunately, there was no severe damage. The power was restored through the night. We were back online in the morning. There was a bit of cleanup to do from fallen tree branches and debris that was strewn throughout the road.
Summer storms are to be expected in North Texas. Being ready for them, as best as possible, is essential. Well, as ready as you can be when the winds gust up to 80mph!
THIS WEEK’S INSIGHT
A season of storms
Katerina breathed a sigh of relief as she opened our conversation this week.
The storm is over. We’ve lost a few key people, but my team is adjusting.
It was clear from her physical response that Katerina was feeling the impact.
I’m questioning who I am as a leader. Even when I share with them that the re-org isn’t personal, it does have an effect. And I want my team to be safe and know that I hear them.
I wondered aloud what would bring her the most value in our session?
I think I’m trying too hard to solve their problems. How can I balance being curious with my desire to step in and help?
We explored what it looks like when she’s curious. Katerina noticed that when she asks questions to hear what her team is struggling with, she feels less stress.
That’s what I want – to stay in that place of curiosity. My team is brilliant, and they know what to do. I keep second-guessing them and offering to fix something that they really don’t want fixed.
Then she had her aha moment.
Oh, my goodness. When I’m working, I want to be free to take the initiative, and I don’t want anyone to tell me what to do. That’s how I stay creative! I can hold my team accountable without stepping into the middle.
Knowing the landscape of her org and the industry, she knows more storms are on the horizon for their team.
As their leader, I’m better suited to help them prepare for what’s next. I don’t have to solve issues I haven’t been asked to solve.
THIS WEEK’S TOOL
Preparing for the next storm, at work or at home
I’ve found that some of the strategies you might use to be safe during a summer thunderstorm can also be used to navigate the storms you may be facing in your workplace.
Stay informed
At work: keep communication open and transparent with your leadership
At home: check out your weather app/forecast
Develop a plan
At work: prepare for potential changes
At home: create an emergency plan with your family
Respond with caution
At work: find healthy ways to cope with stress
At home: don’t drive through flooded roads
Decide what’s next
At work: support your team
At home: monitor weather updates
My takeaway
Every day that I wake up, I am grateful for life and relationships. As the day unfolds, there may be elements that are planned and happen right on schedule. There are also other elements that hit me out of the blue and must be managed in real time. This is life.
The thunderstorms that have surrounded me this week are just one physical way I can relate to this uncertainty. Even though I know one is headed our way and have gotten out of harms’ way, I am still surprised and shocked by the sounds and impact.
When the storm subsides, I get to assess any damage and decide how to proceed. Which brings me back to the client who used the ‘storm’ metaphor so beautifully to describe the reorg she and her team are now navigating. What will she construct now? Turns out she knows what to do 🙂
I pass my life in preventing the storm from blowing down the tent, and I drive in the pegs as fast as they are pulled up.
Abraham Lincoln
