Are you showing up for work every day in a constant state of stress? Is that stress negatively impacting the people you work with?

I know how that feels. I’ve been there.

At a particularly challenging time in my career, when stress had gotten the best of me, I made one of the best decisions of my life. I decided to hire a leadership coach. 

After several sessions, my coach asked me the most important question I’ve ever been asked.  After I’d described a difficult interaction with a staff member, she inquired, in a curious way,
 
“What were you thinking?”

That question changed my life.  A light bulb came on and I realized that it was my thoughts and beliefs that were creating the stress and ultimately guiding my actions.  

As a senior manager and a (now recovering) perfectionist, I was operating from a belief that the entire success or failure of the organization rested on me.  

Does that sound familiar? 

Or what about these variations?

• “If I don’t have my hands in every aspect of the business, it will fail.”     

• “No one can do it as well as me.”

• “I’m too busy to train someone to do it the way I want it done.”

Let’s say you’re a small business owner whose business has recently skyrocketed.  Sales are up -- way up.  You’re barely keeping your head above water as you try to manage the increased business.  

Your thoughts and feelings about what’s happening will directly determine what action you take.  If your thoughts and feelings don’t support positive action, you’re likely to simply work harder to keep treading water.   And that's stressful.

If your thoughts and feelings support positive action, you’re more likely to be open to the opportunities available to you.  And you’ll be on your way to the next level of success in your business. 

 Here’s how it works:

So take a cue from my coach and ask yourself on a regular basis,
 
“What am I thinking?” 

If you find your thoughts and feelings are creating positive actions, great!  Keep the momentum going.

If your thoughts and feelings aren’t leading to positive action, pause and ask yourself,
 
  “What would be a more supportive thought?” 

Adopt that new thought and see what happens.  I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
 
"What are you thinking?"