A Business Leaders Guide to Not Taking It Personally
July 3, 2023
How can people look up to you if you go to panic stations when faced with criticism?
You don’t have to squash your emotions; you have to master the art of desensitisation. A good leader inspires and motivates employees to uphold professionalism and aim for success.
Of course, congratulations is in order. You have built a successful business and become an impactful manager. You’re definitely doing something right! But let us ask you this one thing, has there ever been a time when you couldn’t step back and ended up helicopter-parenting your business?
Your personal judgement is always the followed lead. Whilst we don’t want you to guess your leadership ability second, it’s a good idea to assess your reactions to unfavourable situations and how your employees feel about your responses.
It’s nothing personal, it’s just good business
Your actions as a leader are under a microscope. If you let your leadership face fall and act with hostility or with little regard for other people, it could leave a lasting impact on your employees.
Picture this, a team member comes to you complaining that they need more staff benefits to thrive at work. They suggest more flexible working, and immediately you feel anger rising as you believe you have gone out of your way to creating a great benefits system already.
You can either let your ego take the wheel and criticise your employee, or you can take some time to go through this three-step process to ensure your reaction can be received as intended.
1. Acknowledge the suggestion
Simply say something along the lines of ‘Thank you for raising this, I will get back to you shortly’ and stick to your word. Once you have gathered your thoughts and considered the response, schedule some time to discuss things further.
2. Take some breathing space
Calm your racing thoughts with a sequence of deep breaths, this will allow you to regulate your emotions.
3. Sit with your thoughts, not your emotions
Taking time away from the direct situation will help you rationalise your thoughts and thus act from a place of reasoning so your response will be well received.
Being a boss, not a friend
There is a time and place for nurturing friendships, the office isn’t one of them when you’re leading a workforce. Of course, this is by no means implying that you have to be a figure of mystery and cause silence to befall a room when you enter.
There is a balance that must be kept in order to sustain a due level of respect and authority as a manager.
For example, friendly colleagues may gravitate towards particular people. As a leader, you can have positive relationships with people, but you must avoid favouritism and ensure the equal treatment of all employees.
A respected leader would work through their issues with the relevant party and not share too much information with subordinates. If you find you need extra support with your HR, we are just a call away.
It’s all about keeping an unbiased eye on business activities and knowing when to assert yourself and when to refrain from getting too close for comfort.
How thick is your skin – rhino or a gold tree frog (google it!)?
Take a moment to digest what we’ve spoken about in this blog.
It’s all about having thick skin in your job role. You’re only human, there are times when we all want to scream and let it all out with no repercussions. It takes guts to put yourself in the firing line for so much responsibility.
The main takeaways from this blog are:
- Maintaining employee expectations as a leader
- Regulating your emotions and reactions to grievances
- Acting professionally and sustaining a level of professionalism
The aim is never to become overbearing, but with our help, you can find the sweet spot for your business and team.
Sign up for our mailing list to ensure you never skip a beat when it comes to your much-important HR. You can always lean on us when the pressure of others leaning on you becomes too much.
After all, we are the experts. We really do know what’s good for you.
