In business, it is common to live with fear.

Can I meet my key performance indicators

Will I meet or exceed my sales quotas?

Can we meet our coding goals to deliver the project early so we can look like heroes to our users?

Will marketing allow us/me to be seen as a leader with campaigns that rain revenue?

Will we be able to receive what we need for manufacturing to deliver to our customers?

These are ordinary fears that cause what we think of as “normal stress” that, with time may percolate into burnout.

However, in times of extreme change, such as sudden inflation, international conflict, whether real or threatened, or domestic unrest, it is common for staff and leaders alike to experience extreme shocks with cortisol spikes, weight gain, substance abuse and relationship issues at home and work. Everyone begins asking questions in a desire to seek the certainty that is not available. What can we do when there is no playbook for what to do?

1. Meet with your trusted advisers and/or coach regularly. You need people you trust to seek counsel from. Don’t go it alone.

2. Focus on your people. You have a responsibility to keep them informed promptly of decisions you are considering. Ask for their advice, too.

3. Listen and think. Leaders think they became leaders because of their action. It is their discernment and their ability to inspire confidence that got them to that seat.

4. Notice what others have done and are doing. What worked? What didn’t?

5. Make a decision on a course of action.

6. Correct course

This is your moment to take the wheel of the ship and steer during a hurricane. It will be an amazing ride as you and everyone holds on during tumultuous seas and gale force headwinds.

Everyone will be watching the captain. Everyone will be yelling what you should be doing. That is their fear talking, demanding you do what they tell you.

Give them the reason to follow you. They will.

ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a career and leadership coach who worked as a recruiter for more than 40 years. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with more than 2300 episodes. He also hosts Job Search TV on YouTube, Amazon and Roku, as well as on BingeNetworks.tv for Apple TV and 90+ smart sets.

If you have a quick question for me, you can get it answered with a 3–5 minute video.

Are you interested in 1:1 coaching? Please click here to see my schedule to book a free discovery call or schedule time for coaching.

Connect with me on LinkedIn. Like me on Facebook.

Join the Career Angles group on Facebook.

We grant permission for this post and others to be used on your website as long as a backlink is included and notice is provided that it is provided by Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter as an author or creator plus a backlink to www.TheBigGameHunter.us.

Leadership During Times of Extreme Fear