BEYOND THE SCORE: Navigating the Inner World of Leadership
Beyond the Score: Managing Leadership Anxiety
When it comes to navigating the inner world of leadership, we tend to look outward. We point to volatile markets, irritated customers, and impossible deadlines. These pressures are very real and demanding. But what if the source of your greatest stress isn’t found on your calendar or on your team? What if it's found in you?
I'm not saying you are the problem. We have to acknowledge a deeper truth: much of the anxiety we feel as leaders is an echo of the internal habits we've been building our whole lives. These habits are shaped by the stories we tell ourselves, the roles we fill, and the emotional burdens we've learned to carry without question.
Let me put it another way. In music, a composer provides the notes in a score, but that's only part of the story. It's up to each musician to bring it to life, and that starts with self-awareness.
When I think about this kind of anxiety, I'm reminded of a verse that resonates deep down in my bones. Proverbs 12:25 says, “Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.” Those pressures are real, and they can feel like a millstone around your neck, causing you to sink into despair.
But that’s exactly why the apostle Paul in Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
That verse is a clear command. What are we to do with our anxiety? We are to name it, share it, and embrace it to the point of being thankful for it. The anxiety you’re feeling is a messenger, not a monster. When you can understand the message, you can begin to see it as a gift.
In the coming weeks, we'll explore these internal habits and talk about what we can do about them. We'll look at the silent stories of perfection that leaders adopt and the anxiety that arises when our heroic tales fall apart. We’ll confront the stress of managing other people’s emotions and learn how to tell our own feelings apart from those of our teams.
Next week, we'll dive into the silent stories of perfection and what happens when our heroic tales fail.
Until our next rehearsal.
P.S. This post is part of a larger conversation about the dynamics of leadership. If you're a leader looking for support on your own journey, you can find information at www.petehazzard.com.