Are You Emotionally Fit?
As leaders of organizations, we often believe that we have to be “strong” and put on a good face for others to see. While I am not suggesting that we have a “melt down” in front of our team, I am suggesting that we consider that we are human. Perhaps you do not understand why some of your employees are feeling so “stressed” or worried and you believe that you do not have the time to slow down and to check in with your own emotional well being.
A recent article that I read by Dr. Emily Anhalt addressed this issue so well (Hit the Emotional Gym). She is a psychologist and has done a lot of work with founders focused on their emotions. “Founders will go above and beyond to do what’s necessary for their company. But they often stop short when it comes to fulfilling this same commitment to themselves and their mental wellbeing,”
She goes on to say, “here’s what I mean by emotional fitness: Beyond having good coping mechanisms to deal with anxiety, depression, self-doubt and a series of curveballs that are completely out of your control, a founder must be able to form and maintain good relationships. You must be able to communicate effectively with co-founders, investors and employees,” says Anhalt. “Studies show that 72% of entrepreneurs have mental health concerns — but I very much doubt that a similar proportion of founders are currently in therapy. And far too often we see the consequences of a failure to do that work when startups implode, whether it’s due to a toxic work culture, co-founder conflict, or deep-seated leadership challenges.”
After doing a lot of research, she discovered that the following seven traits create emotional fitness and she provides some great examples for each of these:
Self Awareness
Empathy
Willingness to Play
Curiosity
Mindfulness
Resilience
Effective Communication
She concludes this article by stating that while it may seem especially urgent to focus on these emotional fitness skills when it feels like the sky is falling, these tips aren’t just valuable in times of crisis. Establishing these healthy founder habits will impact your own success as a founder and your company’s success long beyond the current turmoil.