Leading When the Heat is On

Leading When the Heat is On

There are many times when “the heat is on” leaders. Depending upon the type of environment within which one leads, it could be many times per day and many different kinds of heat. Just as in a school classroom, “Best Practice” is the use of Differentiated Instruction (individualizing as much as possible to reach all learners where they are and taking them as far as possible), so too Leadership Best Practice must be differentiated depending upon the direction from which that heat is coming and who is connected to the heat.

Recently, I had to deal with a very unpleasant and difficult situation with an employee who made a very irresponsible decision. This decision affected a child and the entire community. Knowing that this decision could lead to dire consequences for the employee, the child and the community, meant that I needed to have a broad plan for dealing with all types of heat. It was imperative that my head and my heart were in alignment.

As with any decision that will affect many it is important that a leader take the time to connect head and heart. Having the head and heart in coherence means that rational decisions and action not only come from a rational place (the head) but also from an empathic place (the heart). Leaders can do what needs to be done (whether that is to let people go, create an improvement plan, demote an employee) and still do it with empathy and kindness. We can afford to be kind even in very ugly situations; the outcome is still the same. Being kind will not change the disciplinary actions nor the fallout the employee might need to bear, but it does offer the possibility for growth, trust and change.

Sometimes the poor behavior is such that it is difficult for even the best of leaders to feel empathy. This is when deep listening comes in. It is crucial to get the perspectives of all involved. It may not change the outcome but if the leader is able to gain insight into the context within which a poor decision or action was made, they can be more available to respond from a coherence of head and heart without the rancor of reacting in the heat of the moment. Leaders know that there is always at least another side of the story; very often there are 3 or 4 sides to a story. It is imperative that the leader has as complete a picture as possible in order to make a decision based upon the most inclusive picture.

Although unpleasant to struggle with the “Heat of Leadership,” whether it be dealing with employee poor choices or “taking the heat” for the whole, there is always opportunity for growth, development and building trust and connection among the whole team. Often it is during a heated difficult time that the most important growth and development happens and a new direction is visible, viable and welcomed.

Unfortunately, leaders are frequently assailed with hot issues which sets an unhealthy cycle in motion. It is stressful to have to deal with the messes that occur and need our attention, especially when that mess could have been avoided if people had made better choices. Stress, occurring continually, is dangerous to a leader’s health and outlook. Finding a quick pressure release that works is key. There are hundreds of possibilities for this and each leader should spend time finding the one best suited for her/his needs. Reconnecting head and heart (coherence) is critical for leaders. Even just taking deep breaths and imagining breathing into your heart helps re-energize both the head and heart with oxygen. It relaxes tensed muscles and sometimes within the most fractional of spaces, allows the leader to perceive a different direction, a shift in understanding, a ray of forward momentum otherwise invisible. A walk, music, sharing with a colleague whom you trust, reading inspirational quotes are some pressure cooker releases that can be quickly accessed.

Burnout turns to cynicism, discontent, anger, inability to connect and is dangerous for an entire organization. Leaders must always be on the offense to keep that heat set correctly. There are times when just the right tension of friction cause a heat that metamorphoses into an astounding opportunity or direction or vision that would never have occurred otherwise. It is up to the leader to keep that very delicate tension and look for the positive – that silver lining – even when the heat seems to have completely blackened and seared the path forward. If the leader’s vision is scorched s/he will become a wildfire of destruction rather than a candle flame of welcomed light. Conversely, if leaders are able to search for and divine the positive, the heat can be a catalyst for good.

How do you, as a leader, balance the heat blown at you from the variety of storms and furnaces of your organization? What do you use to find the delicate coherence of head and heart to maximize your heat shield?