How To Handle Pressure From Your Team As A Leader

Every individual faces pressure regardless of their position, profile, title, experience, or gender. Pressure is real and sometimes takes the form of having so much to do that you don’t even know where to begin or burdensome expectations imposed on you, or disappointment with the little progress you’ve made on a task.

Being under pressure is harmful to your sense of well-being and your physical health especially if it isn’t handled properly.

Being a leader comes with a lot of pressure especially from your team members, however, as an effective leader; you should understand how to deal with pressure healthily and productively. The daily demanding situations and crises you face throughout your leadership are likely to be the moments that define who you are as a leader and, potentially, as a person.

This means that how you act and handle pressure in those scenarios can influence how your employees and co-workers remember you.

Here are ways to help you manage pressure as a leader:

Pause before you act

To handle pressure effectively as a leader, you should have the ability to respond to a situation calmly and with a well-thought-out plan.

Understand the reality of the situation

You must recognize the reality of a situation and acknowledge your limitations during a crisis, no matter how difficult that might be. When the situation seems overwhelming, the best way to approach it is to break it down into bits, this helps you gain a clear picture and understanding of the circumstances.

After which, you can work closely with your counsel, prioritize your next steps, and delegate effectively.

Most importantly, when you decide on a plan, stick to it and rely on yourself and your team to complete the tasks assigned and carry out a successful resolution.

Build a strong support system

The most successful leaders know how to delegate and let someone else handle a task or project. You can’t do everything by yourself; therefore surround yourself with capable advisors who understand how to maintain a grounded, calm presence.

Build a strong support system with people who have the strength of character, who are confident but also open-minded and communicative, and who support your vision.

In addition, they should have diverse experience and emotional intelligence skills so they can take on a variety of responsibilities and help you lead to the best of your ability.

Control your expectations

Most high-pressure situations arise sometimes because of unrealistic expectations. Understand that your team members are human too, that means they are not perfect and they can make mistakes at some point.

Learn to manage your expectations of them and forgo perfectionism because you aren’t perfect as well so don’t expect them to be too.

The earlier you apply this, the faster it is for you to let go of trying and the less pressure you will feel. Instead of striving for perfection, strive for progress and aim for excellence.

Undoubtedly, perfectionism leads to procrastination, and procrastination adds to your pressures, therefore reducing your expectations and forgoing perfectionism.

Becoming an effective leader takes work and discipline because you must learn to maintain poise under pressure and learn to adapt to various situations.