Being a leader when things are hard
How can you lead when things are hard?
One thing you have to do is stay close to other people. Try these three things:
Lead from the front
This means really talking and listening to people. People need to know what's going on. Get out there, get with people, tell the truth and listen to what people are saying. Don’t hide looking at your computer and writing things down.
Think of the big picture
If you were trying to make a big jigsaw puzzle, you would need to see the picture on the lid of the box. That picture is the thing that keeps you going. It helps you remember why you are doing the puzzle. The same is true when there are problems. you have to remember why you started something in the first place. You have to think of what you want at the end.
Ask other people
You can't do everything alone. You need to work in a team. It needs to be a strong team. People need to say what they think and they also need to work well together. When a decision is made, everyone needs to move forwards.
What about how we feel?
When things are hard, we can feel bad We might feel angry, sad, confused, guilty...
So what should we do? Again, three suggestions:
Think positively
It can be hard to do, but you can ‘think positively’. When things start to get hard, think about what you really, really want and how you can get it. think about how you can make other people think positively too.
Listen to your body
Think about what your body is saying - can people tell that you are angry or upset by looking at you?
Also, don't get too tired. If you need rest – you have to rest. Find out what helps you rest, what helps you sleep.
You are in control of what you do
Stay in control. You can only be a leader if you can stay in control. Then you can help other people
Don't ignore how you feel. Make how you feel into something good. Turn that anger into action; take out that frustration by finding new ways of doing things.
If your disability is linked to mental health you can still be a leader - of course! . Think about what support you might need if things are bad. Talk to people about what would help you.
Jo Verrent and the rest of the Sync team
