Managing Stress In Team Settings

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸—𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺? A former client, 𝘈𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘢 𝘚𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘢𝘯 (pseudonym), a newly appointed General Manager at an international construction company, faced this exact challenge. Customer satisfaction had plummeted, and pressure was mounting. Sultan believed outdated equipment was to blame. But when we dug deeper, we uncovered a far bigger issue—a 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆’𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 (shown in the diagram): * 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀, in the role of 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴, waited for problems rather than anticipating them.
 * 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀, in the role of 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘦𝘥 𝘖𝘯𝘦𝘴, relied on others to save the day.
 * 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀, acting as 𝘖𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴, rushed in to compensate for the lack of planning. 𝗦𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁—𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆. Instead of proactive planning, people were rewarded for last-minute heroics. Sultan frowned. “𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦. 𝘞𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺.”
 I nodded. “𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘵.” The truth? 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻. 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗰𝗼-𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺. So Sultan made a bold move. Instead of buying new equipment, she built a team to identify risks before projects even began. Within nine months, customer satisfaction had jumped to the top quartile. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲? 𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁—𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗳𝗶𝘅𝗲𝘀. Have you ever uncovered a hidden pattern in your workplace? What changed once you saw it? 📚 Learn how to see and rewire 30+ common hidden patterns in my latest book 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸.

Stress spreads faster than Wi-Fi. Good or bad, it shows up everywhere.  In your tone, your body language, your decisions. And if you’re stressed, they’re stressed.  If you’re steady, they’re steady. In this week's episode, I unpack how leaders slow the spread: 1. See it before you speak Track what spikes you for one week (missed targets, unresolved conflict, back-to-backs). Patterns first. Fixes later. 2. Regulate before you communicate Sixty seconds of slow breathing. A tech-free walk between meetings. Enter composed, not combustible. 3. Set the thermostat Your presence sets the pace.  Calm + clarity = focus. Rush + tension = silence. 4. Communicate like a human Short, frequent check-ins beat long monologues. One “quiet” manager I coached lifted output 20% – 100% with this alone. 5. Normalise recovery End meetings five minutes early. Protect buffers. Model rest as part of performance. Drop these pitfalls Hero syndrome. The “always-on” badge. Silent suffering. Think about it next time… Do you want to be the calm in the storm, or the storm itself? Calm is a skill, and you can learn it on the Yuwab Podcast. Tune in, subscribe and share with someone you care about or a leader who may need this. ____ Watch now on the Yuwab Podcast → https://lnkd.in/d2ZKivzD Listen to the Yuwab Podcast: Apple: https://lnkd.in/dH2KZpac Spotify: https://lnkd.in/dbYJHuFV

One of the hardest balances to master as a leader is staying informed about your team’s work without crossing the line into micromanaging them. You want to support them, remove roadblocks, and guide outcomes without making them feel like you’re hovering. Here’s a framework I’ve found effective for maintaining that balance: 1. Set the Tone Early Make it clear that your intent is to support, not control. For example: “We’ll need regular updates to discuss progress and so I can effectively champion this work in other forums. My goal is to ensure you have what you need, to help where it’s most valuable, and help others see the value you’re delivering.” 2. Create a Cadence of Check-Ins Establish structured moments for updates to avoid constant interruptions. Weekly or biweekly check-ins with a clear agenda help: • Progress: What’s done? • Challenges: What’s blocking progress? • Next Steps: What’s coming up? This predictability builds trust while keeping everyone aligned. 3. Ask High-Leverage Questions Stay focused on outcomes by asking strategic questions like: • “What’s the biggest risk right now?” • “What decisions need my input?” • “What’s working that we can replicate?” This approach keeps the conversation productive and empowering. 4. Define Metrics and Milestones Collaborate with your team to define success metrics and use shared dashboards to track progress. This allows you to stay updated without manual reporting or extra meetings. 5. Empower Ownership Show your trust by encouraging problem-solving: “If you run into an issue, let me know your proposed solutions, and we’ll work through it together.” When the team owns their work, they’ll take greater pride in the results. 6. Leverage Technology Use tools like Asana, Jira, or Trello to centralize updates. Shared project platforms give you visibility while letting your team focus on execution. 7. Solicit Feedback Ask your team: “Am I giving you enough space, or would you prefer more or less input from me?” This not only fosters trust but also helps you refine your approach as a leader. Final Thought: Growing up playing sports, none of my coaches ever suited up and got in the game with the players on the field. As a leader, you should follow the same discipline. How do you stay informed without micromanaging? What would you add? #leadership #peoplemanagement #projectmanagement #leadershipdevelopment

The higher the stakes, the harder it becomes to hear yourself think. When tension rises, the default is to speed up. Fill the silence. Push through uncertainty with urgency. But some of the worst decisions get made in that headspace. Clarity doesn’t come from pressure. It comes from presence. Simple practices like breath awareness and short pauses between meetings aren’t soft skills. They’re structure. They allow leaders to observe before reacting, and to respond without bringing yesterday’s stress into today’s conversation. Decision quality improves when the nervous system is calm. Not passive. Not disengaged. Just steady. I’ve found that centered leadership doesn’t just benefit the person making the call. It shifts the energy in the room. It creates space for better thinking, deeper listening, and more resilient outcomes. If you’re navigating complexity, try slowing down your response time—not your progress. Presence might be your most underused advantage.

I’ve had to protect my team in the past, particularly when their time or focus was at risk. I’ve seen this happen at companies like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, where mandates and initiatives would stack during the same timeframe. While each initiative alone might have been reasonable, together they overburdened the teams. Those compiled costs may be invisible to the folks driving the individual mandates. You may have seen teams get overwhelmed by a major release, a review cycle, and bi-annual business planning all at once. This type of time management stress is usually manageable, but there are times when teams can be stretched too thin and compromise morale and quality. When you witness this, I believe it’s crucial to step in. You will hear from your team and you need to be close enough to the issues to decide how to respond. This can be tricky for a leader: on one hand, you want to ensure your team can succeed; on the other, you’re part of the broader leadership and need to support the decisions being made. Sometimes, you have very little room to maneuver. In those cases, I find it most effective to have a private conversation with key decision-makers. Meeting behind closed doors allows you to present the reality of your team’s capacity without putting anyone on the spot. Armed with clear data or project plans, you can often negotiate more realistic timelines or priorities. Another common pressure is when stakeholders create frequent direction changes. Repeated shifts in goals or features will thrash your team and waste energy. This often reflects deeper issues with strategy, alignment, and communication. However, you may not have time for a complete overhaul of your planning processes, and you still need a way to prevent thrash. A short-term fix is to set firm near-term milestones or “freeze” dates, after which any changes must go through a formal triage process. This ensures that if changes are necessary, they follow a transparent, deliberate sequence rather than blindsiding. After the freeze, broader project changes can be considered. Ultimately, I see my responsibility as a leader as fostering an environment where my team can perform at a high level, stay motivated, and avoid burnout. Part of a leader's role is to protect their team’s capability and long-term health. There will always be sprints and times when you need to push, but you also need to consider the long view and put on the brakes when required. People who feel supported are more productive, more creative, and likely to stay engaged.

🤝 What builds trust when teams are large, fast-moving, and under pressure? I work with large, complex organizations - where a dozen (or more) leaders need to align, collaborate, and deliver together. And here’s what I’ve seen time and again: 👉 Trust can be one of the first things to falter… and the hardest to repair. But trust doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built — intentionally — one interaction at a time. Here are five simple and real-world strategies my C-Suite clients rely on to build trust that lasts. 🔹 Do what you say — every time. Reliability is the fastest path to trust. No reminders needed. 🔹 Share openly, regularly, and briefly. Quick and honest updates reduce surprises and build credibility. 🔹 Clarify roles. Ambiguity breeds mistrust. Get clear on who does what – from the start. 🔹 Give credit generously. Spotlight others often. Trust grows when egos shrink. ➡️ What would you add to the list for how to build trust in the workplace? #Leadership #TrustBuilding #Collaboration #ExecutivePresence #CLevelTips Thinkers50 Global Gurus 100 Coaches Agency

It might not look like it, but I’m actually quite approachable. Not when I’m grilling candidates on The Apprentice, perhaps, but definitely in work situations. I’m particularly mindful of creating a collegiate, non-threatening environment where colleagues feel safe sharing ideas, concerns, and especially mistakes. Here are four actionable ways you can enhance approachability and build trust with your team: 1. Be present and visible Approachability starts with visibility. If your team rarely sees you or feels they’re intruding when they do, they won’t speak up. Walk the floor, join informal conversations, and make time for spontaneous interactions. Your presence signals you’re open to hearing them, even outside formal meetings. 2. Think aloud and invite the input of others Explain your reasoning — and uncertainties — when making decisions. This creates space for others to contribute ideas or challenge assumptions. During meetings, outline options and explicitly ask for input. This builds trust and shows you value diverse perspectives. 3. Admit to your own mistakes Leaders who own their errors make it safer for others to do the same. Share a recent mistake in a team debrief and what you learned from it. This “models imperfection” and encourages a culture of learning from failure. 4. Use debriefs as learning moments After key projects or challenges, organise post-mortem meetings to review outcomes. Ask open-ended questions like, “What could we have done differently?” or “What should we carry forward next time?” These sessions will also repair tensions from stressful moments. Approachability is a leadership skill like any other. It takes effort and focus. But by fostering openness, you’ll build stronger relationships, improve performance and create a culture of trust. What techniques have you seen that bring out the best in people?

𝘿𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝘾𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝘿𝙖𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨? (of course!) We've all experienced it - the unchecked stress that stems from inadequate leadership. Nearly 50% of all employees report high daily stress levels. Recent data from Gallup's "State of the Global Workplace: 2024 Report" shows poor management is a leading cause. After reflecting: It's NOT new! I don't think it's because they don't manage efficiently. I think it's because their idea of managing and leading is old-fashioned. After coming out of one of a series of multi-day leadership trainings, many leaders realized that their old way of thinking of leadership is failing them: - barking orders - knowing everything - giving advice - doing everything others fail to deliver Guess what - this itself causes burnout! Managers at the same time need to: - provide necessary resources/support - set clear expectations - monitor workplace stress spikes. Yet few organizations address the root issues. Wellness initiatives alone fall short if deeper problems persist. As Michelle Mah 🍃 and I discussed, "wellness whitewashing" tries to check boxes without substantive change. Yes, including stuff like: - gamifying steps (+fun, +++administration load) - spending an hour doing a terrarium (+mindful, ---focus on work) - additional zumba classes (+active, but only helps people already active; raising stress of those who aren't) A system that does not work should not be allowed to survive! Adding new processes to patchwork the problems in the system is NOT doing your people a favor. I'm all for holistic wellbeing. But after speaking to people, Michelle, Ratna Juita and I are wondering if the measures are actually hitting home, or simply ADDING to disillusionment? For true wellbeing: 1/ make it leadership responsibility. 2/ Prioritize emotional regulation for individuals. 3/ Make mindfulness systemic, not just an individual breathwork activity. This means we need to: - build inner resilience - strengthen effective inner self-talk - eliminate feelings of "being not good enough" It starts from the top! Leaders must own employees' mental health by walking the talk. The simple things still signify the most: - quality conversations - empathy, - genuine care. It's not that you can't do it. It's that you're tackling too much "doing" instead of "being". It's not about being "soft" or neglecting results. It's not the paycheck. It's the emotional bank account. It's about being human, first. The solution? Design MORE good work that is satisfying and meaningful, with the people who MATTER to you. I've read over three dozen studies and uncovered a 3-pronged approach that enables revitalized and energized workforces. Seeking a more engaged workplace and modernize leadership practices? Let's have a conversation. What will you do as a leader to foster thriving from the inside out?

I made one subtle shift that made people instantly respect me in meetings.   Like most people, I previously thought that being the most prepared, speaking first, and dominating the agenda would earn me respect in meetings.   But the harder I tried to prove myself, the less people listened.   I learned this the hard way.   But then I learned about a subtle shift that makes all the difference.   The secret?   👉 Stop trying to fill the room with your voice and start filling it with your presence.   Here’s what actually works:   1/ Own your space ↳ Sit with intention. Lean back slightly instead of forward. ↳ It signals control, not neediness. A calm posture speaks volumes.   2/ Control your pace ↳ Speak slowly. People rush when they feel they need permission to talk. ↳ Slowing down signals authority.   3/ Use strategic silence ↳ Pause not just before answering, but after making a key point. Let your words sink in. ↳ Silence makes people process, and processing builds respect.   4/ Break your ‘nod-and-smile’ habit ↳ Active listening doesn’t mean constant head nodding. ↳ Minimal reactions make people work harder to earn your attention.   5/ Claim the invisible roles ↳ You don’t need to lead the meeting to lead the room. ↳ Be the person who summarises key points, connects ideas, or asks clarifying questions.   Check out the Two-Pager for more detail. What’s the biggest shift here?   Realising that respect is given when you demonstrate, in subtle ways, that you don’t need to chase it.   (People instinctively pick up on that fast.)   So, do you want to be the person others listen to in meetings?   Stop trying to impress.   And start showing you’re already someone worth listening to.   ♻️ Follow Mostyn Wilson and Repost to help others. 📌 Save this post for future reference! __ Want more detailed insights on career success? Try the Atomic Ambition fortnightly newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eE287NTG

A yoga mat ain’t going to cut it. People are stressed out. And according to Gallup’s latest report 41% of employees report experiencing “a lot of stress.” And it doesn’t matter how many mindfulness apps you throw at it, they’re not going to fix poor management or the fact that people don’t have what they need to get their jobs done. There isn't a one-size-fits all solution to reducing stress, as it can vary depending on how an organisation is setup and how people get stuff done on a daily basis. But with us spending an estimated 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime, we need some series stress-busting strategies to shift these worrying statistics. So, where to start? From our extensive research and experience with over 100 organisations, we've identified the following core principles that need to be in place for people to feel engaged, motivated and happy in their work. They are: 1️⃣ Alignment: Clearly defined purpose, values and strategic goals embedded across the employee experience. 2️⃣ Appreciation: Regular recognition of individual and team contributions through meaningful praise, gratitude, and rewards. 3️⃣ Belonging: A deep sense of acceptance, celebrating diversity and providing equal access to opportunities and resources. 4️⃣ Communication: Consistent communication with documented rituals and processes for timely and accessible information transfer. 5️⃣ Empowerment: Support, systems, structure, and tools that enable teams and individuals to be productive, make decisions, and work autonomously. 6️⃣ Flexibility: Choice and adaptability in work methods to accommodate individual needs and optimise productivity. 7️⃣ Growth mindset: A shared belief that individuals can grow and improve their skills through hard work, testing new ideas, and sharing learning opportunities. 8️⃣ Play: Regular opportunities for fun and creative activities with peers to facilitate social connections and trust. 9️⃣ Psychological safety: A belief that people won’t be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes. 🔟 Wellbeing: Prioritising physical, emotional, social, environmental, intellectual, and financial health. So it's time to pop the yoga mats away, and think about how you can start to reinforce these these principles into your daily practices, and create a workplace where people feel seen, valued and supported. Got some stress-busting strategies to share? Let us know in the comments so that we can collectively design kinder, fairer, better designed companies. Not sure where to get started? We’ve got stacks of resources over on our journal pages, check out the links in the comments 👇 #CompanyCulture #EmployeeEngagement #Wellbeing