Derived from my work with managers and their teams when they are striving to make it during hard economical times, when leaders insist on “pushing hard” – when pushing hard makes no sense anymore- and burnout is at the gates of the organization, I have found the following line of reasoning very useful and practical:

1. Organizations and individuals also, we love to think we really can control everything.
2. Leaders have been taught consequently that main organizational priorities are results and very often (though not so loudly declared), control.
3. Changes and crises, by their own nature are not controllable. (Though we also like to think they are)
4. So the usual speech: “We’ll continue doing business as usual, just focus on results, here’s a great opportunity, we are a great company” really begins to sound painful, as things get worst. This is NOT to say that change doesn’t bring opportunity, but just to emphasize that this rationale must be used timely and wisely by managers with desperate employees.
5. Reality: Business is not as usual, nothing is. “I’m sick of hearing about results, I don’t see where the **** opportunity is, and if we really are such a great company, why we all feel so angry?”

In this extreme context, you may find useful to orient the coaching process toward helping people understand to:

a. Let go of the illusion of control. It sounds easy. It’s not. But it’s healthy and possible.
b. Admit they don’t feel well. Nobody really does.
c. Results are really delivered during these hard times, as a side- effect of healing aching “casualties of work overload”, not from stubbornly and naively insisting that we must deliver – what by simple pure reality is NOT possible right now.
d. Recognize that their bosses many times are clinging to past glories -like ex-wealthy families insisting on maintaining a standard no longer validated by reality- and that bosses do so, most of the times, simply because they don’t know what else to do. After all they are bosses becauses they delivered results, not because they really listened to people (at least in most cases).
e. Making them aware a temporary hurting/loss process is taking place, that the “good old days” are gone
f. Accept they have to take care of themselves and their teams, and suggest concrete activities for doing this.
g. Make a stop on the road, re-think, re-schedule and re-prioritize what they are doing.
In short it’s about stopping in yourself -even if your boss doesn’t- the denial process, and awakening to real new possibilities by focusing on what’s really going on inside you, what your real possibilities are NOW, and what you’re feeling. Yes…feelings are important in these times.

It’s about recognizing that during crises periods, an external locus of control becomes useless, since outside nothing looks well. That’s why your new senses of purpose must be looked for inside you, in your history, in your prior losses and how you surmounted them, in your inner sense of self-confidence, in our strengths inventory and ultimately in your ability to defend your right to enjoy – yes, enjoy- even while going through the crisis period.

This denial stopping and search for an inner sense of purpose, as opposed to the “everything’s OK” so common posture, bring a very healthy sense of relief. You don’t have to worry anymore for those things which are out of your control.

You can begin planning on solid real bases and begin building again. The only difference is that you’ll do better this time, and emerge stronger from the process.

Ramiro Ponce is an ICCO Board Member, senior executive coach, engineer and psychologist who works throughout the Americas.

www.ramirponce.com
E–mail: rpf54@intelnet.net.gt