Reduce Your Stress

Stress is really nothing more than fear. Sometimes you’re afraid of what’s coming; sometimes you’re afraid because you don’t know what’s coming. But no matter what the circumstances, you can always boil stress down to fear. There are numerous stressors, but the most common cause of stress is time constraints. So let’s look at some of the ways you can reduce the stress in your life just by organizing some stuff:

• Make a list of what stresses you; then decide what is and isn’t worth it; then change what you can change and develop work-arounds for what you can’t change.

• Use a wall calendar and a pocket datebook. (The operative word is use.

• Balance your scheduled activities: work/play; groups/personal; family/couple.

• Use your head! Think about what you’re going to do or how to do something.

• Don’t buy stuff that isn’t easy to take care of.

• Simplify your eating and cooking habits.

• Plan your day the night before: clothes, breakfast foods, lunches, money, dry cleaning, homework, etc.

• Simplify your schedule: don’t go places you don’t want to go!

• Unclutter! Throw it out or give it away.

• Make lists!

• Make more lists!

• Keep home and job separate. Spend quality time in both places.

These are just a few of the good ideas that will help take the stress out of your life…no matter where that stress comes from.

Inspiring Loyalty & Trust

The best way to build a team comprised of people who are loyal, trustworthy and who walk in integrity is to create a role model for them to follow. That’s right…you! The “trickle down” effect is most evident in the integrity of the people within an organization. Generally you can observe the workers to determine the type of leadership they have. If you walk in integrity, so will your staff.

The best way to create such a “dream team” is to work with your team; make sure they know what they’re supposed to know, train them, mentor them, and let them shadow you. As individuals grow, expand their responsibilities to “bridge” over to greater opportunities. We’re not talking about the distraction and fragmentation of “multi-tasking” here; we’re talking about learning one job, doing it well, and assuming additional responsibilities to learn another job.

As a manager, conform your actions to the needs of the organization and to the needs of your employees. Be all things to all people (in other words, do whatever it takes). Be diligent in following through with your team.

Only by demonstrating yourself as a trustworthy, dependable, understanding person will you be able to inspire loyalty and trust from your staff and volunteers.

Managers as Teachers

Managers teach all day long. But how many managers have actually be taught how to teach their employees? Not many. Most managers are left to their own devices and their own teaching styles. "Tell 'em what to do; yell at 'em if they don't do it right" is a common teaching method in the workplace. But when you know a little bit about how people learn, you'll be better equipped to teach. Everyone learns differently so the more you know about how your employees learn and process information, the better teacher you'll become. And the better you teach, the better you'll manage. How well you teach and relate to your employees is evidenced in productivity and profit levels.

Listening to Avoid Misunderstanding

A good leader listens to volunteers and staff with empathy. How do you do that? You ask good questions and respond appropriately. Learning to ask the right questions takes practice and is accomplished by trial and error. Ask the question; evaluate the response.

For example, “What’s wrong with you?” is, on a scale of 0-10, a flat 0! It’s a bad question no matter how you phrase it. Why not try something like, “You seem troubled. Would you like to talk?” Communication as a leader is all about listening. Empathic listening takes time, but not as much time as it takes to correct the misunderstandings you’ll face if you don’t. Volunteers and staff who are not encouraged to express themselves clearly usually repress their problems which eventually manifest as poor performance.

Getting Volunteers & Staff to Cooperate

Power In The Workplace is offering our subscribers a FREE report on how to get your paid staff and volunteers to work together. We've cut through the hype of being "politically correct" and gone straight to the "how to" of getting things done. This guide addresses issues you deal with every day and resolves them...step by step.

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