Discover the simple and effective action to take to better perform and executive coach your team. As you know, the days go by at breakneck speed THE Action to Take to Better Perform and Coach Your Team. One thing is done and wow… five more that fall on you. Satisfied, you tick two things off your endless to-do list and add 8 more.
And the situation repeats itself…day after day, week after week. A feeling of already seen. Rest assured, you are not alone!
But there is more: we expect a lot from our business leaders and managers, and they rarely let us down. They give and give back! They get involved, catch up on lost bullets, THE Action to Take to Better Perform and Coach Your Team, motivate and provide support while juggling their workload and complex missions. No wonder the leaders are exhausted; they are on “autopilot” mode and not always well equipped to meet the needs of their team.
In 2018, a survey conducted by the San Diego government revealed that 3 out of 4 business leaders experience psychological distress. Depression, a taboo subject in the business world, affects more than 11% of leaders.
It is estimated that by 2020, or tomorrow, depression will be the second most common disability in the world. First row? Cardiovascular illnesses. So, what is this very simple gesture to do right now?
Take the time to stop to better coach your team
You read correctly! But now, taking the time to stop is very badly perceived and is not always part of the vocabulary of leaders. For many people, including leaders, downtime means:
- Waste of time
- Incompetence
- Lack of effectiveness, even efficiency
- Poor performance
- Laziness
One day when I couldn’t think anymore and when I had a thousand things to do at the same time, I decided to take a few minutes to breathe and watch the snow falling slowly through the window. A co-worker was whizzing past my office. I heard him brake and retrace his steps. He said to me, “Do you have time to watch the snow fall? “.
And yet… Stopping allows you to start again better, optimize your performance, be more present to others, and above all invest yourself in work without falling into battle. Moreover, many introverts have a vital need to take time out to perform, enrich their communications, and gain efficiency.
Fortunately, more and more companies are prioritizing and encouraging downtime. For example, before the start:
- Of the day
- From a project
- From a meeting
- From a human presentation
- Executive coaching or feedback
- Of a delicate conversation
- From a brainstorming session
Simply put, stopping is essential!
Put on your oxygen mask first
Personally, I understood the hard way that the leader is first and foremost a human being with all his possibilities and limitations. The problem? Leaders forget to put on their oxygen masks first. They are the first to help and the last on their priority list. They forget themselves and forget to take the time to breathe and stop when they need it!
Because, to enable his team to develop its full potential, optimize its performance and ensure the company’s sustainable growth, he has no choice but to learn to put on his oxygen mask first and give time outs without guilt.
Strategic decision filter
To help you give yourself more downtime without guilt, here is a strategic decision filter. This is a short questionnaire that you can customize to suit your needs.
- Would I benefit from giving myself a break before starting this project?
- Would this downtime allow me to gain efficiency?
- Would this downtime help preserve my energy capital?
- Would this downtime allow me to be a better leader?
- Will I make it easier to achieve my goals with this downtime?
- Will this downtime make my decision-making easier?
- Will this downtime enrich my interpersonal relationships?
- Is this downtime beneficial for me?
- Is this downtime beneficial for my team?
