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Balance anxiety at the right level to be an achiever
Change makes us anxious. Anxiety in general is perceived to be bad because it leads to lot of stress. We try to avoid anxiety by closing the doors on change. However when it is not possible to avoid change we end up being overly anxious. Instead of adapting to change we often resist change or make attempts to control change. While one way leads to stagnation, the other way leads to panic. Both are equally bad for our growth as leaders. It is important to acknowledge that c
hange is a fact of life. There are things in our life, which are beyond our control. At the same time there are several other things in life that are in our control and anxiety is definitely one of them. Actually not all anxiety is bad. In fact we need the right amount of anxiety to keep us on our toes and enable us to quickly grab opportunities as they come.
Balancing our anxiety is the key to success. A contented person has too little anxiety and he lacks the zeal to explore new avenues and grow. On the other hand a person with a negative approach has too much anxiety. It leads to mounting stress levels and utter chaos. A moderate level of anxiety is what we need to effectively manage change and surge ahead. Robert Rosen, Chairman and CEO of Healthy Companies International writes, “ Just enough anxiety is the right level of healthy anxiety-at any given moment in time- that drives you forward without causing you to resist, give up or try to control what happens. It unleashes your productive energy and makes you want to do better. Just enough anxiety gives you courage and confidence and helps you tackle problems, jump on new opportunities, learn new things, change yourself and your organisation. It produces the optimum state of arousal that enables you to stretch beyond your current reality into your desired future.”
How to maintain anxiety at the right level? Great leaders have the ability to use anxiety in a positive way and create a powerful force that drives success. Some common personality traits and functioning styles of these leaders help us understand when to pull and when to let go of things. Here are some clues to maintain anxiety at a healthy level, which helps us turn change to our best advantage:
Embrace change: Effective leaders embrace change. They accept change as inevitable. They have the right attitude towards change, which helps them focus on the positive aspects of any given situation.
Learn from life: Good leaders learn something from every situation. They admit their shortcomings and mistakes. They are always open to new ideas and are flexible enough to try new means to achieve goals in a changed environment.
Balance risks: They control what they can control to the best of their ability and advantage. They accept what they cannot control as given and proceed to make use of the given circumstances to their best advantage. They make ambitious plans for the future but at the same time are ready with contingency plans to counter adversities.
Right timing: They neither procrastinate nor take hasty decisions. They take decisions at the right time to make the most out of a promising opportunity. They listen to their sixth sense but are aware of ground realities too.
Meet challenges head on: They are willing to test new waters. They set stretch goals for themselves and their team members. They lead people through uncertainty and inspire them to perform at their creative best.
Emotional resilience: They manage their own anxiety and help others do the same. They offer strong emotional support to their team members and assist them to overcome their fears in times of uncertainty and change.
Some amount of anxiety is necessary to push you out of your comfort zone and make you realise your true potential. Emulate great leaders and develop a positive attitude that helps you balance your anxiety at the right level.
N. PURNIMA SRIKRISHNA
faqs@cnkonline.com
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