I started off my working life as a fitness instructor and breaking into IT was quite a challenge. As you can imagine I took every opportunity that presented itself. I started off working in a credit card software company (a start up/stay up) that had a great buzz about it. It wasn’t long before I was moved to a software development team and then that great buzz turned into an annoying din! My new boss had a unique management style… she “managed us” by her mood. As a team we would all be waiting on tenterhooks to get an idea of what the day would look like for us. If she stormed into the pod, threw her bag next to her chair and not make any eye contact with anyone there was almost an audible heavy-hearted sigh. We would all collectively think, “Here we go again.” We just kept our heads down and got on with the work. It was like being in a scene from The Devil Wears Prada. Other days were completely different. She would almost float into the room wishing everyone a good morning and smiling broadly which led to inappropriate comments about her nocturnal activities the night before! Either way, it was a terribly uncomfortable position to be in. The stress levels were always high because of the uncertainty of what the day held.

As a manager, you are always being watched; it’s like you’re living your life in a greenhouse. Everything you say and even the way you say it is scrutinised by your team. It’s important to be aware of how you’re feeling because it can impact your decisions and you can come across as being punitive or overly critical when you don’t mean to be. Stress often feeds into this; however, this is not an excuse. Ultimately, as a leader, you are a model to everyone you work with, whether you like it or not. It’s part of your role to always hold yourself to the highest standards. We’re all human too so if you’re having a bad day make sure you put in regular breaks (I call them fire-breaks) to allow yourself time to reset and go again. Another good strategy is to be honest with your team; let them know that you’re going through a tough time and apologise if you’ve come across as harsh or inconsiderate. Let them know it’s not about them.

So what does this mean for you? How do you ensure your decisions, and how you treat people, aren’t being dictated by how you’re feeling? What strategies could you introduce to create mini fire-breaks to keep a handle on stress or a difficult situation you might be dealing with?

If you’d like to know more about how to achieve more in life or business, or if you’d like to explore how coaching can help you become a better leader (of others or yourself!), or even if you’re just generally curious about what professional coaching can offer you, please contact us at any time for a free consultation.

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