The Sky Is Falling!
I don’t know about you, but it seems that everywhere I turn these days, the news is getting worse and worse
· Stock Market roller coaster rides
· Company downsizings
· Housing crisis
· Recession, recession, recession
· Election madness
No matter whether or not you believe in all that the media is portraying, there is one thing for certain. It is causing A LOT of stress out there. A current survey being conducted by 6 Seconds is finding that our ‘typical day’ is a lot more stressful now than it is a year ago and anxiety levels are rising. Click here to take the survey
Ours is an increasingly complex world – one where uncertainty and change is the norm. Where decision-making often takes place in high pressure environments. Challenges often have high-stake consequences and often people are burdened with more than they can handle. It’s starting to take its toll – especially when it comes to performance. It’s a catch-22 and a cycle that we need to do something about.
Now, maybe more than ever before, individuals faced with these pressures need to have the skills that will enable them to handle these pressures and face the challenges they have before them. They need to be able to be aware of their emotions, carefully manage their reactions and adapt to their changing circumstances in order to continue to perform at a high level. This is especially true for those in positions of responsibility and leadership where the implementation of these skills makes the biggest difference.
How do you Choose Yourself?
Think back over the past week and reflect on your current situation. Have you found yourself more anxious or stressed? Have you been able to manage your reactions in ways that bring you the results you want? Time and time again, studies are finding that being able to manage our emotions is the key differentiator between those who are successful and those that succumb to the stresses and pressures that we face.
In the end, emotions drive people and people drive performance. As Josh Freedman, COO of 6 Seconds, one of the world’s most respected Emotional Intelligence (EQ) organizations states, “EQ is most essential in times of stress and challenge; training in this area is a ‘life ring’, not an ‘investment.’” And developing these skills is not a major expense in either time or resources. Instead, “EQ is something to be – a little more each week.”
If you are finding that stress is something you or your organization is hindering your performance, it may be time to bring in the life ring and discover how increasing EQ skills in your workplace can bring significant return…not just in performance, but in the mitigation of stress in your environment. We may not be able to affect change on a global basis, but we can on a personal one. As Hans Selye writes, “It’s not the stress that kills us, it’s our reaction to it.”
Click to find out more about EQ and EQ Assessments
