Keep Calm….and Find That GRIT!
Rare Leadership is a pocket book guide on how to build and cultivate emotional maturity while developing effective leadership habits. This becomes a catalyst for a robust and productive work environment! The book centers on the acronym R.A.R.E.
Here’s a quick rundown of my thoughts on the acronym:
R- Remain Relational: Be kind, Curious, Personable, and work together! Show appreciation as much as you can!
A- Act Like Yourself: Remain an adult! Show people that they belong, and stay steady!
R- Return to Joy: Validation plus comfort equals JOY!
E- Endure Hardship Well: Dig Deep, Keep Going, Find your GRIT!
The author states that maintaining a strong relational connection within your teams and YOU yourself leading from a place of emotional health and resilience is the key!
So my first question is… How do you lead from a place of emotional health and resilience?
To me… besides following the book you really have to go back to you. You need to make sure that you are getting enough sleep, you need to make sure that you are filling your cup and not emptying it.You need to make sure that you are planning to succeed. What does that mean? From my experience when I have got enough sleep, when I have taken the time to prepare for the day as much as possible, it really doesn’t matter what happens I can act and react with grace and integrity. When I stay up late and I am in a constant state of reaction… truly treading water… my actions and reactions are less than stellar.
The author states that navigating through challenging situations with grace and patience can enhance team cohesion and resilience.
How do you handle a situation with grace and patience? In my experience it’s always best to keep your body language really calm, and remember to listen first, always. Today while I was at work I was introduced to a group by a patron as someone that can have literal chaos all around her and she is still insanely steady…. This introduction made me laugh! I had many questions running through my head! The person that I was getting introduced to asked… How do you keep calm when everything is so wild around you? I told them I didn’t know that I was exuding such peace but my philosophy has always been to do one thing at a time and then move to the next task. You can only do one thing well at a time, so you might as well focus, dig in, and keep going. When you decide to look up you may be surprised that all of your work that should have panicked you is complete! When crew members at one of our businesses tell me something that internally makes me want to scream… I may simply ask… Can you walk me through your thought process so I can understand? Or say… I hear you – let’s problem solve and see how we can make it work together.
Both of these questions take a lot of focus and engagement with you and your team. It’s a lot of work. It also takes a lot of training and messing up, before you get it right!
About the Author
Alana Hayes
Alana is a mother to four beautiful children and wife to a farmer in Texas. She is an avid world traveler with a heart for both the world and education. She is the president of the nonprofit Against the Grain Texas where they focus on providing education to children overseas and at risk adults in the states. To date the nonprofit has given almost $100,000 to individuals around the world. In her free time she loves spending meaningful time with people and reading to further her personal education.7 responses to “Keep Calm….and Find That GRIT!”
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It is always great to hear that leaders are actively working on their leadership skills. If you could pick just one which (R.A.R.E) leadership trait is the hardest for you?
I am an E through and through! I put my head down and get to work! Its hard for me to keep R at my heart when I get really overwhelmed! But I do my best. Ben will tell me I just go in to robot mode which takes a human/relational component away! I don’t do it intentionally!
This was fun to read! You are the very definition of a do-er. You get stuff done! All the while having little ones. I’m going to hold onto the plan you give: “You can only do one thing well at a time, so you might as well focus, dig in, and keep going. When you decide to look up you may be surprised that all of your work that should have panicked you is complete!”
What does rest look like for you? Or is that a growth area?
Oh man! This is my motto! Put the 12 tasks down….
Pick JUST ONE up and do it really well, quick, and effective. Then move on to the next task. Repeat!
It allows you to be present, and intentional.
Alana,
This is good…really good:
“Can you walk me through your thought process so I can understand? Or say… I hear you – let’s problem solve and see how we can make it work together.”
I think you would be a great trainer. Is this an aspect you enjoy as an owner of Fred’s? I see you as a quick learner. I am curious- How is it for you when your employees are not so quick to learn?
Im reading this question on a good week to reflect. I am typically a quick learner with logical/worldy/common sense items. I would even say I can figure things out without someone telling me how to do it 98 percent of the time. If I dont know how I will just figure it out really quick.
My husband is a quick study learning academically, and can retain the information like a DAVID! They are alike in that manner!
Its really hard when you work with someone on simple tasks for so long and they just don’t get it. Unfortunately because Fred’s is a business there is only so long before its costing money and just not a good use of time.
I typically do a hands on training with people. If that does not work, I will grab someone else and see if they can explain it in a different way. The power of stepping back is really important… So a break is always a good idea before you try to reteach an item.
Sometimes though people are just not a good fit so if you have exhausted all of your efforts you may have to part ways for the good of both parties.
Alana,
I love the questions you ended your post with. I use forms of these with my students all of the time in working out problems at school.
Well done once again!