Dealing With Leadership Frustrations

by | Sep 5, 2012 | Leadership Lesson

Let’s face it, leadership can be frustrating at times.

Leadership Frustrations can STOP your results and make your life difficult.

You’re trying to move your team toward a common goal and you have a million and one obstacles in the way. The entire team is looking to you for the answer and you don’t have it. Every time you try and move your team forward, it seems like 3 other things pop up to pull you back. Every time there’s progress, there is also regress.

This, my friends, is frustrating to say the least.

You can have a hundred victories but what most people don’t see or understand is the 1000 obstacles and failures that you had to overcome to reach those milestones. Dealing with frustration is a necessary part of leadership and something that is not talked about often enough.

If you’re not careful, these leadership frustrations can turn into it’s ugly cousins, anger and overwhelm. You’ll begin to feel powerless and trapped.

I came across some useful information that will help in dealing with these leadership frustrations…

Venting allows you to clear your mind.

Venting:

  1. Go for a slow walk. They say you can’t stay mad and walk slow.
  2. Find a friend you can blow up with. Just let it all out.
  3. Chop down a tree or some other physical activity.
  4. Recent research suggests rising up to observe yourself cools the heat.

Venting anger is a useful preventative but useful expression is better.

Useful:

Anger lies just under passion. Channeled anger fuels passion. Wanting things to be better includes I don’t like the way things are now.

Sometimes anger points the way.

  1. Anger clarifies values; it tells you what’s important to you.
  2. Anger is useful when it emboldens action but destructive when it seethes and simmers.
  3. Anger says, “I don’t like this.” Listen, then do something.

It isn’t “if” you feel anger it’s “how” you respond.

Trust leaders who rule and channel anger; they rule themselves.

Rule:

  1. Anger begins with what you don’t want. Cool down and rule anger by asking, “What do I want?”
  2. Anger often blames others; rule it by taking responsibility. “What could I do?”
  3. Talk through your anger with a friend who helps you find heart issues. “What’s important?”

Points of frustration from Facebook contributors:

  1. Wasted time.
  2. Feeling undervalued.
  3. No progress.
  4. Lack of integrity.