General William Sherman said “War is hell”. Spring can also be hell. How are you handling the late spring? Or chaotic schedule? Or your stressed clients and employees?
Use these 3 solutions…
Manage expectations: Clients become unhappy due to missed schedules or inappropriate expectations. You can correct expectations with mass emails indicating timing (for residential maintenance/service) and with client specific calls or visits (for special clients.) I have always found that clients just want the truth, as opposed to being told a new deadline that is impossible to hit.
Keep your team members informed…more than usual! Keep them up-to-date on the plan as it changes. It’s best to show calm confidence in your ability to get everything done; this will comfort your team, and allow them to better handle the increased pressure of changing schedules and late working hours.
Keep your cool: Reduce your own stress, and keep yourself organized. Here two profound ways:
- Keep doing the personal activities that let off steam and clear your mind (exercise, hobbies.) If you don’t have time, then do what many world-class athletes do to help them handle the high pressure: Mediation. Sam Darnold, the future rookie QB for the Jet’s, says it has helped him become significantly more productive since he started. He and I use the same meditation app, Head Space. (Ten minutes a day will ground you.)
- Take quiet time every evening or morning to reflect on your daily priorities. It’s harder to do when you are slammed, but that is when it is most needed to increase clarity.
My idea of fun and letting off steam? This weekend I finally got to take my black BMW M2 on the racetrack. I spent the weekend at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut (where Paul Newman famously made his second career as a race car driver). The first day was warm and sunnyand the second day it rained, which meant I had to develop an entirely new game plan on the fly. Sound familiar?
The driver of this car likes to show his passion. It’s infectious.
My challenge to you: Do one thing daily to modulate your own stress and that of your team’s; and then create opportunities to over communicate and manage expectations.
Jeffrey’s breakthrough idea: You are the thermometer for how your team feels. When you look and act good, so do they.
Have fun; show your passion and keep smiling!
