"I'm drowning in work," said Simon at an investment bank. "I get so many emails and texts from people that I'm constantly pulled around all day. Meetings get canceled and added constantly. Now my boss needs a revised forecast by 8am tomorrow morning, so I have to work this evening. What's the solution? I'm going crazy."

"Grab your life vest," I suggested. "How can you find a useful direction if you can't surface and see where you are."

"What does that look like?"

"A little chaos is exciting. Too much and it either feels like a panic attack or you become a victim and start blaming others. What engages your calm, confident, spiritual core while you are working, Simon?"

"Sometimes I pray, sometimes I go laugh with a colleague in Sales, sometimes I call my dad. I work out too. Most days I don't have any time."

"These actvities are your life-vests. They help you regain inner balance. They match complexity with your stamina. You're not alone. There's an epidemic of people splashing around madly. It's such a pity that your CEO doesn't believe in a shared sense of the organization's greater purpose."

"So what things do I need to start learning.

"Do the things you know work. But take them seriously. The time to learn to swim is not when you're drowning. Once you feel more calm and confident, you will be able to set priorities. You may even push back at your boss's unreasonable request. Then, try things that help permanently, like Personal Board, Spiritual Identity, Greater Purpose. Try learning one technique every quarter. These are not emergency flotation, they're permanent."

Stephen
ANE = Calm, Confident, Connected Leadership

PS: There's a short video for our Sept 21 to 23 Retreat at Worth Abbey, UK, here.