The Weight of the World

Have you ever felt this way? It’s a common phrase but many leaders have had this feeling descend upon them. It usually stems from an overwhelming sense of responsibility and can occur in both good times and bad. For example, let’s say things are great and a leader could worry that something might happen to make it all come crashing down. Or maybe times are bleak and you as a leader feel that all the blame is focused on you. It’s not pleasant but it’s one of the byproducts of authority and leadership.

Coping Strategies

This could be just a feeling or perception but it can be very impactful to some. Here’s where you go back to concentrating and relying on the value of your organization’s vision and mission. Whatever’s happening that has you worried or distracted can be offset by the knowledge that everything you do is based on a set of well-thought out long-term strategic goals and objectives - your mission is sound. Individual stuff happens but the agency as a whole is focused and on track. You’re doing the right things for the right reasons. You may have to reset and revisit this concept many times both internally and with your external stakeholders to get everyone back on board after a significant distraction.

Final Thoughts

These are not one size fits all solutions and there are some assumptions here about being a leader who cares about how they and their organization are perceived. The responsibility is always there so it’s perfectly normal for worry to make an appearance every now and then. The importance of having a solid mission and strategic plan and the confidence to overcome that comes with that is a very powerful tool for you to have.