Experts share how team leaders can handle stressful situations at work

Twitter is a dangerous place Last week when captain Rohit Sharma visibly lost his cool after fielders dropped catches tweets about how his reaction can cause panic in the team flooded in The tide changed to lsquolegendary skipperrsquo when Sharma with an injured thumb became the first Indian to hit 500 sixes in international cricket This is a reflection of the challenges a leader faces when something as human as experiencing frustration can quickly impact the team and environment Experts tell us how team heads can effectively navigate stressful situations for their and their teamrsquos benefitRohit Sharma Pic CourtesyGetty ImagesFocus on the goalWhile challenges can motivate or bring the team together to tackle a goal as one unit challenges or stress placed on members by a team leader will only make it difficult to work effectively Simita Sambyal an NLP NeuroLinguistic Programming master practitioner and corporate trainer notes that transferring onersquos anxiety to members being harsh or unsupportive and pointing out failures openly will result in unpleasant interactions and difficult relationships Eventually team members will lose trust and confidence in their colleagues their work and the leaderSimita SambyalInstead of getting upset if the leader can separate the stress from the goal and focus on the latter members too will follow suit This will instill the teamrsquos trust and confidence in the leader so they feel they can speak honestly share their concerns and handle challenges better rather than avoiding seeking help from their manager ldquoLeaders must be aware that their team looks up to them and observes how they conduct themselves in easy and difficult situationsrdquo she saysSeek a trusted mentor or support system for advice in tricky situationsTake chargeNeha Mishra a leadership trainer believes that attitude plays a significant role in assessing onersquos leadership effectiveness ldquoA leaderrsquos words actions and emotions should manoeuvre the teamrsquos productivity and results in an upward direction During a crisis one can either pull the team out of the dumps or create uncontrollable ripplesrdquo Stress might be unavoidable but one can mitigate it She suggestsNeha Mishra Be aware of and identify your behavioural patterns during stressful situations Understand what you can control and what is beyond your control Acknowledge boundaries Do not jump to problemsolving without assessing the situation Practise calming techniques to declutter the mind and meditation for selfawarenessMishra who is the founder of Neha Talks notes that the pandemic reaffirmed the importance of resilience as one of the biggest virtues for todayrsquos leaders But that does not mean one must ignore emotions or stress Instead find effective ways to deal with it like maintaining a journal to monitor stressrelated behaviour patterns building trusted support communities for advice and not doubting your decisionsNotes from the playing fieldDolly Kumar founder and director of Cosmic Nutracos believes that the key to dealing with any crisis is being strongminded and making peace with the situation This allows you to stay calm and make better decisions ldquoI have come across many brilliant leaders who lead their teams through difficult situations by staying calm and thinking throughrdquo Kumar notes She adds that practices like regular communication with the team being transparent about the situation and meditation can help during tough timesShe tells us ldquoLeaving a highpaying corporate job to start my venture was challenging But balancing various responsibilities and dealing with crises and uncertainties are now a part of my life I wonrsquot hesitate to share that at times it can feel impossible to manage everything when multitasking During such times my mantra is to follow an informed approach I put to use the knowledge and insights I gained during my initial years in my professional life that help me look at the other side of the coinrdquo For aspiring entrepreneurs Kumar suggests two key elements to achieve success and emerge as leaders mdash clear communication and collaboration Her organisation often conducts recreational sessions to facilitate an exchange of ideas among employees and brainstorm new ways to cope with daytoday challengesLizanne Dsouza founder Liz Lyn Careers and a podcast host notes that while itrsquos hard to stay calm during stressful situations itrsquos important for leaders to be aware that how one communicates can impact others and the scenario Seeing everyone as an equal can help in communicating onersquos thoughts effectively without offending others To manage stress she suggests tools like breathing techniques pausing before speaking or taking a fiveminute break to cool off Having a mentor for guidance and if time permits to consult with can be helpful She reiterates that maintaining your cool is key not just for others but for yourself too lest your decisionmaking abilities get affected or you find yourself exhausted at the end of the dayCiting her own experience Dsouza reveals ldquoItrsquos been a tough road to get here I had to accept that not everything will always go as planned that is just how life is and if you do everything you can itrsquos enough Sometimes when it is hard to keep calm I apologise and remind my team that I am human and prone to feeling pressured too I have seen leaders yelling at or insulting their employees to get the job done This doesnrsquot work People are not motivated by insults but by encouraging words they look up to a leader for guidance not parenting If you cannot respect people they will not respect yourdquo