Intensity and Exhaustion in Business
I know a lot of business owners who don’t mind working hard or being stressed out – that’s really part of the excitement of growing a business. So when I get out there with my “simplify your life – reduce the overwhelm” speeches – they aren’t interested. Sometimes intensity is what drives your passion, and you need it. It’s kind of like needing a deadline to jump into creative mode.
I used to really enjoy talking with my friends about “what makes people tick”. I would spend hours dissecting why so and so might have done this, and what he or she might have meant by that. This conversation exhausted some of my friends. They would tell me, “you worry too much”, or “you take this stuff too seriously”, or “you get really deep and intense”. For them, the intensity of the conversations was draining. But for me, pondering all the different scenarios didn’t seem so much like “fretting” as a fun game or puzzle to figure out. I finally found a friend who loved these conversations as much as I did, and we were a great fit – we spent hours talking and truly enjoyed it.
To me, that kind of intensity is analogous to what an entrepreneur feels in the first few years of a new business. While on the outside it seems like the 14-hour days are going to kill him or her, it’s actually quite energizing and addictive to the entrepreneur, and this is the kind of passion that enables a new business to survive.
But at some point the cycle changes. The 14 hour days have become habits, the entrepreneur gets bored and tired, and wistfully dreams of family and vacations. Work is now “work” and not so much “fun”. But it has also become a trap, because there isn’t anyone else to process the orders, make the decisions, or handle the clients. At this point, many business owners get stuck, and can stay stuck for years. Revenue pours in, while joy leaks out.
One of the most important things I do with coaching clients is work with them on becoming more self-aware. This is why it’s hard to separate business coaching from personal coaching. I believe your level of self-awareness has a huge impact on your business. It effects how clear you are about goals, how effectively you communicate, how quickly you make decisions, how confident you are in your negotiations, and all of these things affect the bottom line.
And the first step to self-awareness is knowing what energizes you and what drains you. Just knowing this can make all the difference in the world, because as soon as something in your business begins to drain you, you can deliberately find a way to get rid of the drain. You either stop doing it, you get someone else to do it, or you change the way you do it. And you continue to pay attention to your energy levels and make adjustments, so that by the time you reach that place where it’s no longer fun to work 14 hour days, you have systems in place and can reduce your hours.
That way, when it’s time to take a vacation – you take one. And when you are involved in a new initiative that energizes you, you happily immerse yourself, even if that means not resting. When you are immersed in activities that energize you – you don’t need as much rest.
Here’s a ten minute exercise you can do to apply this concept – try it and see what changes you make:
Get out a sheet of paper and make a brainstormed list of everything going on that bugs you – even a little bit. We call this the “What are you tolerating?” exercise. It can be a certain person, a way something is being done, a fear, a disorganized desk – anything. Sometimes it takes awhile to compile your list and you keep coming back and adding to it, but that’s OK – the point is to have a list, so you can be aware.
Rate each item on your list by how much it drains you. Top priorities are items that drain a little bit of your energy every day. Lower priority items are those you usually don’t notice, and only drain you when they are brought to your attention.
That’s the exercise – it’s a simple way to bring you to a higher level of awareness around your own energy. And usually, the added awareness will motivate you to make some changes in the way you manage your business and your life. Your goal is to get rid of as many “tolerations” as you can.
If you’d like, you can even make a game of it. Get a team of people together and have a competition around who can get rid of the most “tolerations” on their list. This is not only fun, but it increases the overall energy level of the group – and is an easy way to pull out of a temporary “low” cycle.
If you do this exercise – I’d love to hear your comments on it!
Copyright ©2006 Nahid Casazza and Aspyrre www.aspyrre.com
Friday, September 29, 2006
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Fear and Entreprenuership - Necessary Partners?
Copyright @ 2006 Nahid Casazza and Aspyrre. www.aspyrre.com
Actually, the word that was brought up in our most recent NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) meeting, was "TERROR". We had a panel of successful business owners talk about how they got through some of the major turning points in their businesses, and it was a great show - but the one thing that impacted me the most was a question from the audience at the end.
One of the new business owners stood up and shared the experience of waking up at 3:00am in absolute terror, and was wondering if this was simply a signal that she was at a major turning point. What she got back was universal acknowledgement on the panel - they all experienced the same thing. They referred to the “night terrors” with a little too much familiarity for me. What I heard loud and clear is "they never go away".
Each time your business gets to the next level you think you can breathe a sign of relief. Except now you have more responsibility, bigger issues, and the stakes are even higher. It seems there's no sigh of relief in business - at least not one that lasts more than a day or two. The panel advised exercise and taking good care of yourself - standard stress management techniques.
I’ve got to tell you - I'm not into being terrified all the time in order to have a successful business. I was terrified sometimes in what I called "phase one" of my business. And I actually wrote an article on the "Four Stages of Decisive Change" that speaks to four distinct stages of growing a new business. In phase one you have the "panic elation panic" cycle, a true emotional roller coaster where you are often wondering if you were nuts to think you could start a business. But there are also moments of pure excitement at all the possibility you've created for yourself. However, in my model, once you get to phase two you are also in a different emotional state: lots of hard work, not so much terror.
Does it have to be this way? I know that currently, I don’t have night terrors in my business. I have worries sometimes, and days where there are more balls in the air than I can catch, but for the most part things run smoothly. On the other hand, I’m not running a 20 million dollar business. What if the stakes are higher? What if the success of a sales presentation you make tomorrow determines whether or not you can make payroll next month? What if a critical marketing misstep means people lose their jobs? What if your big investment doesn’t pay off and you are in more debt than your organization can manage?
I’ve been thinking about this for a couple of weeks, and I’ve talked to other business owners as well. Thankfully what I’ve heard mostly is: “It doesn’t have to be that way”. What makes the difference between a business that gives you night terrors, and one that doesn’t? I don’t have the complete answer yet, but are the top three items on my “list”:
1. If you are doing something new, exciting, and scary – then it will feel new, exciting and scary. Understanding that this is simply phase one of a new adventure in your life does a lot to calm things down. And, yes, as you reach one milestone, you will create new ones, but they usually aren’t as charged as your first year as a business owner.
2. If your decisions have a large impact on other people, and that impact has the potential to be negative, it can definitely keep you awake at night. What makes a difference in this case is being honest and up front with people about what they are getting into when they sign on with you, and staying honest with them throughout your relationship. When you cross the line and take more responsibility for them than you can control, the resulting anxiety can be huge!
3. If you’ve got your ego caught up in what happens with the business, you are going to feel pretty scared at the possibility of the business failing. I’ve heard that most successful entrepreneurs fail at two or more businesses, and find themselves “on the edge” of failing many more times than that. It makes sense if you take a look at most successful people. In sports, the best players in the world experience “the agony of defeat” many times over. The best artists and musicians create a few “flops” along with their masterpieces. And they say if you don’t get fired from at least one job, you aren’t working at your full potential. If failing makes you wrong or bad, then the path to success will be downright terrifying.
Do you want to enjoy growing your business without the terror? Then understand the process (
Copyright @ 2006 Nahid Casazza and Aspyrre. www.aspyrre.com
Monday, September 11, 2006
Monday Morning Butterflies - Ugh!
I used to always be able to tell if I was in a "good job" or a "bad job" by how sick I felt on the drive to work Monday morning. The problem was, I never felt like I had a lot of options to turn things around. Now I'm in a "good job", but I still get butterflies sometimes, and I've realized that they can mean a lot of different things - but they still don't feel very good. Regardless of your situation at work, it's important to pay attention to those butterflies - because you do have options to turn things around.
The first step is to pay attention. Most people try to get rid of the nervousness by pushing it down or ignoring it. But that takes energy, and while you are busy holding yourself together, what other people see is whatever you display when you are uptight: maybe you come accross as short, snappy, rude, grumpy, sulky, insecure, sensitive, quiet, or pre-occupied. Your "anxious" behavior may be different from others based on your personality, but the one thing all these behaviors have in common is that they aren't warm, attractive, or engaging, and the result is you may be inadvertently putting other people off as soon as you walk in the door. That usually sets additional negative "stuff" in motion, that may even add to your anxiety later.
Instead of ignoring, or even tolerating your butterflies, PAY ATTENTION to them, and ask yourself this question: "What is this about?" Once you have a handle on the source, there are many strategies for turning things around.
You may not have a good answer. Here are some common situations that often cause morning butterflies:
1. You may have dropped some balls in your overwhelm last week, and you are worried someone will be upset with you, or that you've missed something important.
2. The people on your team always seem to have some drama going on that they want you to handle - you have no idea what kind of an ambush might be waiting for you as you walk in.
3. You have a big presentation, negotation or meeting, and you have to perform. You either aren't prepared, or you are as prepared as you can be, but a little jittery about what's at stake. By the way, the most charismatic and experienced speakers usually report "pre-stage" jitters, and many say it's a good thing because that adrenaline keeps you alert and focused for your start.
4. You hate this job, everything about it, you don't know how you are going to make it through the day - and as you drive in you feel a quiet despair as the week looms in front of you.
5. There's someone at work you don't want to face.
These are only five examples of what situation could be behind the butterflies, but you want to get as specific as you can. A great way to "test" if you've pinpointed the right source is to ask yourself the question: "If this situation were its opposite, or didn't exist, how would I feel?" If reversing the situation makes a difference, you've nailed it. If not, there's more. Don't underestimate the power of pinpointing the source of your anxiety - just that in itself gives you more control, and usually more calm.
Once you know the source of your anxiety, there are two parts to deal with: the mental part and the physiological part. Although your thoughts come first, they are harder to change, so sometimes it's easier to start with the physiological part. Here are some things that have worked for me and others I know:
1. Deep breaths - three of them: inhale as long and slow as you can and exhale through your mouth.
2. Do something physical to get those endorphins going - exercise in the morning, run, walk, or even jump or jog in place for ten minutes.
3. Start your morning with a relaxation routine: Stretch, do yoga, meditate, etc.
4. Laugh. Laughter releases endorphins. Listen to comedy or a funny talk show on the way to work, or carpool with your most hilarious co-worker.
5. I knew one person who took rolaids before giving speeches, and said it did a pretty good job of calming down the stomach. I can't endorse this one because I don't know if it's heathy, but it did seem to work.
There are quite a few things you can do on the mental side of the house as well, as soon as you've identified the source of your anxiety:
1. Decide how much control you have of the situation: do you have complete control, some influence, or do you only have control of your response? A lot of anxiety comes from trying to manipulate the outcome of things we really can't control. Once you acknowledge where your responsibility ends, it's easier to let go and relax.
2. Handle overwhelm at work by reserving time to get organized. Ever notice that when you come in on the weekend to clean your desk, Monday feels completely different? Instead of taking time out of your weekend, you may want to reserve the first half of Monday for quiet un-interrupted planning time. One thing I do is reserve Monday as my administrative and paperwork day instead of the more common practice of doing it on Friday. That way I know I'm coming into a quiet day and will be well-prepared for appointments starting on Tuesday.
Another workshop I am offering next week is called from Overwhelm to Focus, and it walks you through the process of pinpointing the key sources of stress in your work environment, and developing a strategy you can implement immediately to turn things around. (also easy to do remotely)
Sometimes it seems like those butterflies are uncontrollable, but you can make a big difference by paying attention to what is causing them and making a few changes in how you approach work. Imagine, looking forward to Monday!
copyright 2006 Nahid Casazza and Aspyrre www.aspyrre.com
I used to always be able to tell if I was in a "good job" or a "bad job" by how sick I felt on the drive to work Monday morning. The problem was, I never felt like I had a lot of options to turn things around. Now I'm in a "good job", but I still get butterflies sometimes, and I've realized that they can mean a lot of different things - but they still don't feel very good. Regardless of your situation at work, it's important to pay attention to those butterflies - because you do have options to turn things around.
The first step is to pay attention. Most people try to get rid of the nervousness by pushing it down or ignoring it. But that takes energy, and while you are busy holding yourself together, what other people see is whatever you display when you are uptight: maybe you come accross as short, snappy, rude, grumpy, sulky, insecure, sensitive, quiet, or pre-occupied. Your "anxious" behavior may be different from others based on your personality, but the one thing all these behaviors have in common is that they aren't warm, attractive, or engaging, and the result is you may be inadvertently putting other people off as soon as you walk in the door. That usually sets additional negative "stuff" in motion, that may even add to your anxiety later.
Instead of ignoring, or even tolerating your butterflies, PAY ATTENTION to them, and ask yourself this question: "What is this about?" Once you have a handle on the source, there are many strategies for turning things around.
You may not have a good answer. Here are some common situations that often cause morning butterflies:
1. You may have dropped some balls in your overwhelm last week, and you are worried someone will be upset with you, or that you've missed something important.
2. The people on your team always seem to have some drama going on that they want you to handle - you have no idea what kind of an ambush might be waiting for you as you walk in.
3. You have a big presentation, negotation or meeting, and you have to perform. You either aren't prepared, or you are as prepared as you can be, but a little jittery about what's at stake. By the way, the most charismatic and experienced speakers usually report "pre-stage" jitters, and many say it's a good thing because that adrenaline keeps you alert and focused for your start.
4. You hate this job, everything about it, you don't know how you are going to make it through the day - and as you drive in you feel a quiet despair as the week looms in front of you.
5. There's someone at work you don't want to face.
These are only five examples of what situation could be behind the butterflies, but you want to get as specific as you can. A great way to "test" if you've pinpointed the right source is to ask yourself the question: "If this situation were its opposite, or didn't exist, how would I feel?" If reversing the situation makes a difference, you've nailed it. If not, there's more. Don't underestimate the power of pinpointing the source of your anxiety - just that in itself gives you more control, and usually more calm.
Once you know the source of your anxiety, there are two parts to deal with: the mental part and the physiological part. Although your thoughts come first, they are harder to change, so sometimes it's easier to start with the physiological part. Here are some things that have worked for me and others I know:
1. Deep breaths - three of them: inhale as long and slow as you can and exhale through your mouth.
2. Do something physical to get those endorphins going - exercise in the morning, run, walk, or even jump or jog in place for ten minutes.
3. Start your morning with a relaxation routine: Stretch, do yoga, meditate, etc.
4. Laugh. Laughter releases endorphins. Listen to comedy or a funny talk show on the way to work, or carpool with your most hilarious co-worker.
5. I knew one person who took rolaids before giving speeches, and said it did a pretty good job of calming down the stomach. I can't endorse this one because I don't know if it's heathy, but it did seem to work.
There are quite a few things you can do on the mental side of the house as well, as soon as you've identified the source of your anxiety:
1. Decide how much control you have of the situation: do you have complete control, some influence, or do you only have control of your response? A lot of anxiety comes from trying to manipulate the outcome of things we really can't control. Once you acknowledge where your responsibility ends, it's easier to let go and relax.
2. Handle overwhelm at work by reserving time to get organized. Ever notice that when you come in on the weekend to clean your desk, Monday feels completely different? Instead of taking time out of your weekend, you may want to reserve the first half of Monday for quiet un-interrupted planning time. One thing I do is reserve Monday as my administrative and paperwork day instead of the more common practice of doing it on Friday. That way I know I'm coming into a quiet day and will be well-prepared for appointments starting on Tuesday.
3. Set boundaries with employees and other anxiety-causing co-workers by blocking out portions of your day as unavailable time. You can pretend you are in a meeting if you need to. The important thing is that you always know you'll have those particiular sanctuaries of time to regroup when things get hectic.
4. Deal honestly with people at work. When you haven't delivered on something, made a mistake, or are otherwise not resolved with someone, take the initiative to have a conversation, or at least send an e-mail to let them know. You'd be surprised how forgiving people can be in the face of a sincere apology.
5. If you are in despair, because this is not the place for you, acknowledge that you may not be able to make a change right away, but promise to take one step. One thing I specialize in is helping people figure out how to find and get work that feels fulfilling and enjoyable, while also bringing in a decent income. That first step could simply be a phone call - (949) 495-1021. Or, I offer a workshop called Discover Work You Love, and I'd love to see you there. (if you don't live in Southern California, it's still possible to take this course by phone and e-mail). Just knowing you are taking a step can make the time bearable - because you've just turned on a light at the end of your tunnel.Another workshop I am offering next week is called from Overwhelm to Focus, and it walks you through the process of pinpointing the key sources of stress in your work environment, and developing a strategy you can implement immediately to turn things around. (also easy to do remotely)
Sometimes it seems like those butterflies are uncontrollable, but you can make a big difference by paying attention to what is causing them and making a few changes in how you approach work. Imagine, looking forward to Monday!
copyright 2006 Nahid Casazza and Aspyrre www.aspyrre.com
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Dealing with Frustrating People at Work - Part I
No matter who you are, where you work, or how many people you work with, you can't avoid running into frustrating people. Some are just annoying, but others push your buttons, distract you from work, keep you up at night, and sometimes even drive you to consider quitting! Sometimes it's hard not to wish you could just hit a "delete" button and remove certain people from their positions, but since that's not always an option, we need some better tools.
There's a process I take my clients through that includes several steps:
1. Separating the behavior from the person
2. Getting clear on what frustrates you about the behavior and why
3. Examining your assumptions about the motivations behind the behavior, and brainstorming on possible "positive intentions" behind the behavior
4. Planning a strategy to protect yourself if the behavior does not change
5. Planning, and then having a conversation with the person about the behavior
The number one mistake people make when they are dealing with frustrating people at work is assuming they can't do anything about it. Of course you can't tell someone what to do if you aren't the boss, and you can't control another person's personality. But there are many things you can do to make your situation less stressful.
Step one - Separating the behavior from the person
"Sam is an arrogant jerk" might feel good for a few seconds but it isn't going to change Sam. "When Sam gives an unsolicited run-down of his accomplishments every time he presents an idea, it pushes my buttons" gives you something to work with.
Step two - Getting clear about what frustrates you about the behavior and why
Why would it push your buttons when someone gives you a run-down of his accomplishments with every idea? Is it because it's taking up too much of your valuable time? Is it because it seems like he's trying to "one up" you? Is it because the boss is within hearing distance and might actually believe his advertisement?
Let's say it's because it feels like he's trying to "one up" you. Why does it bother you? Do you worry that he might actually be able to convince others that he's better than you?
This is a great example, because every organization has a few insecure sorts who boast and brag a lot to make themselves feel better. They are usually not the best performers in the company - and everyone knows it. But you need to be honest about your reaction in order to deal with the situation effectively. If you believe all that talking might actually get this person noticed and cause you to be overlooked, it's a threat to you - and if you think it through you can figure out a way to mitigate the threat.
Step 3 - Brainstorm on possible motivations behind the behavior
Well - Sam could be compensating for his insecurity. Or, someone could have advised him that he should talk about his accomplishments a lot because it's good for the career path. Or, he could be afraid you wont like his ideas, so he's "overselling" by justifying them with his experience.
Step 4 - Plan a strategy to protect yourself if the behavior doesn't change
In this case, you need to plan a strategy to protect yourself from the possibility of others not seeing your competence in the wake of his loud trumpeting. So you plan ways to insure that your competence is established, but in your own style. For example, you may send periodic e-mails to your boss updating her on your successes. This "unhooks" you emotionally from the behavior and frees you to have a productive conversation. If you will be OK whether the behavior changes or stays the same, you have much more power than if you "need" the behavior to change in order to be OK.
Step 5 - Plan and have a conversation with the person about their behavior.
We tend to assume that we can't talk to other people about their behavior unless we are the manager. But really, you should be having lots of conversations about behavior at work. The more conversations you have the better. What you want to focus on is the purpose behind the behavior, and an alternate behavior that would work better in achieving that purpose. The conversation could be simple. "Sam, I noticed that you tell me about your accomplishments when you share an idea, is that because you worry that people might not like your idea?" Let Sam talk. Then, whatever his reaon, you go on to, "Sam, you don't need to tell me all those things in order to [insert whatever he said the purpose behind his behavior was]. But what you could do instead is [insert some alternative behavior that would achieve his purpose without frustrating you]. Let's make our brainstorming sessions just about ideas, and leave the resumes for a time when we really need them. Is that fair?"
In the beginning it can be embarrassing to initiate conversations with others about their behavior. But with practice, your comfort level will increase. And being able to talk candidly and authentically with people about their behavior is one of the most powerful tools in business.
Try it!
copyright 2006 Nahid Casazza and Aspyrre www.aspyrre.com
No matter who you are, where you work, or how many people you work with, you can't avoid running into frustrating people. Some are just annoying, but others push your buttons, distract you from work, keep you up at night, and sometimes even drive you to consider quitting! Sometimes it's hard not to wish you could just hit a "delete" button and remove certain people from their positions, but since that's not always an option, we need some better tools.
There's a process I take my clients through that includes several steps:
1. Separating the behavior from the person
2. Getting clear on what frustrates you about the behavior and why
3. Examining your assumptions about the motivations behind the behavior, and brainstorming on possible "positive intentions" behind the behavior
4. Planning a strategy to protect yourself if the behavior does not change
5. Planning, and then having a conversation with the person about the behavior
The number one mistake people make when they are dealing with frustrating people at work is assuming they can't do anything about it. Of course you can't tell someone what to do if you aren't the boss, and you can't control another person's personality. But there are many things you can do to make your situation less stressful.
Step one - Separating the behavior from the person
"Sam is an arrogant jerk" might feel good for a few seconds but it isn't going to change Sam. "When Sam gives an unsolicited run-down of his accomplishments every time he presents an idea, it pushes my buttons" gives you something to work with.
Step two - Getting clear about what frustrates you about the behavior and why
Why would it push your buttons when someone gives you a run-down of his accomplishments with every idea? Is it because it's taking up too much of your valuable time? Is it because it seems like he's trying to "one up" you? Is it because the boss is within hearing distance and might actually believe his advertisement?
Let's say it's because it feels like he's trying to "one up" you. Why does it bother you? Do you worry that he might actually be able to convince others that he's better than you?
This is a great example, because every organization has a few insecure sorts who boast and brag a lot to make themselves feel better. They are usually not the best performers in the company - and everyone knows it. But you need to be honest about your reaction in order to deal with the situation effectively. If you believe all that talking might actually get this person noticed and cause you to be overlooked, it's a threat to you - and if you think it through you can figure out a way to mitigate the threat.
Step 3 - Brainstorm on possible motivations behind the behavior
Well - Sam could be compensating for his insecurity. Or, someone could have advised him that he should talk about his accomplishments a lot because it's good for the career path. Or, he could be afraid you wont like his ideas, so he's "overselling" by justifying them with his experience.
Step 4 - Plan a strategy to protect yourself if the behavior doesn't change
In this case, you need to plan a strategy to protect yourself from the possibility of others not seeing your competence in the wake of his loud trumpeting. So you plan ways to insure that your competence is established, but in your own style. For example, you may send periodic e-mails to your boss updating her on your successes. This "unhooks" you emotionally from the behavior and frees you to have a productive conversation. If you will be OK whether the behavior changes or stays the same, you have much more power than if you "need" the behavior to change in order to be OK.
Step 5 - Plan and have a conversation with the person about their behavior.
We tend to assume that we can't talk to other people about their behavior unless we are the manager. But really, you should be having lots of conversations about behavior at work. The more conversations you have the better. What you want to focus on is the purpose behind the behavior, and an alternate behavior that would work better in achieving that purpose. The conversation could be simple. "Sam, I noticed that you tell me about your accomplishments when you share an idea, is that because you worry that people might not like your idea?" Let Sam talk. Then, whatever his reaon, you go on to, "Sam, you don't need to tell me all those things in order to [insert whatever he said the purpose behind his behavior was]. But what you could do instead is [insert some alternative behavior that would achieve his purpose without frustrating you]. Let's make our brainstorming sessions just about ideas, and leave the resumes for a time when we really need them. Is that fair?"
In the beginning it can be embarrassing to initiate conversations with others about their behavior. But with practice, your comfort level will increase. And being able to talk candidly and authentically with people about their behavior is one of the most powerful tools in business.
Try it!
copyright 2006 Nahid Casazza and Aspyrre www.aspyrre.com
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