Leadership Comes With Pressure
“Leadership is a high-pressure role, but it doesn’t have to be a high-stress one.”
This is a phrase I often use when working with leaders, particularly those early in their careers.
Our perceptions of stress and pressure can easily become distorted, leading us towards overwhelm or a belief that the demands placed upon us are simply too much.
But when we treat stress and pressure as interchangeable, we lose sight of an important truth:
Pressure is a healthy and normal part of leadership.
Stress Is Not Always the Enemy
Garcia and Miralles (2017) raised the idea that stress can actually be useful. Throughout human history, it has helped us survive.
In moderation, stress can support achievement, growth and even longevity.
However, when stress becomes high and sustained over time, it can begin to impact both our physical and mental health.
Awareness Matters More Than Avoidance
Simply identifying stress and pressure will not help us avoid them — nor should that be the goal.
What matters is developing awareness.
Awareness helps us:
• understand and normalise what we are feeling
• recognise our physical and emotional responses
• better understand the demands of our daily roles
• notice when pressure and stress begin to layer on top of one another
Because when that layering continues unchecked, it can lead to burnout or significant impacts on mental health.
Understanding Yourself — and Others
What we want to work towards is a greater understanding of our individual responses to stress and pressure, so we can adjust our actions when we find ourselves in that state.
And as a leader, this matters beyond yourself.
Understanding how the people you lead respond to stress and pressure can have a significant impact on your effectiveness as a leader.
