This month here at Onward, we are focusing on the habit: Take Care of Yourself. When talking about cultivating resilience, I am reminded of one of the opening statements Elena Aguilar makes in this chapter: When your body is cared for, you’re better able to deal with emotions. I find this to be so true. When I am lacking in sleep, for example, my emotions often seem to take over. I am not as good of a mom, wife, or co-worker…and definitely not as strong of a leader that I want to be.
I am reminded of the Implications for Team Leaders that Elena shares in her second book, The Art of Coaching Teams. If we know that self-care helps us deal with emotions better, then as a team leader, it is imperative that we practice self-care when considering these implications:
- As the leader, your emotions matter most.
- As the leader, you set the emotional standard.
- You can intentionally spread positive feelings.
- When people feel good, they work at their best.
- The more emotionally demanding the work, the more empathetic the leader needs to be.
- Leaders need to help a team build emotional intelligence.
Our way of being as a leader is within our sphere of control. Practice self-care to be the best leader you can be.