How to Sleep Nights

Good leaders worry about their people. Good leaders worry about their part in employee dilemmas. Good leaders lose sleep at night.

I don't know about you, but I hate conflicts at work. I, like the Chief Happiness Officer, have come to realize that conflicts are inevitable. The very best and most efficient workplaces are not the ones without conflict, he says, but those who handle conflicts constructively. For me, handling conflicts constructively = resolution. Now, how often does that work for you? Knowing that it doesn't work that way (it should, shouldn't it?) doesn't make sleep come any easier for me.

So, what's a good leader to do?

Jean A. Hollands, the author of Red Ink Behaviors, offers this advice: good leaders will sleep well if they plant a seed. Good leaders will sleep well if they remember that they, too, are only human. Good leaders will sleep well if they do the best that they can;have their own support team;and appreciate their own courage.

Good leaders want to make it right. Good leaders, even the best leaders, can't always do that.So, plant a seed. Have a good night sleep and come back at it in the morning. Or not.

Originally posted May 2008 and reposted now, well because, it was exactly what I woke up thinking about this morning. Funny how things run in cycles. I wonder if I should reread my June and July 2008 posts as a crystal ball of sorts to see what is coming back around for me in the next few months of 2009! Wait, does this mean that I am utterly and hopelessly predictable?! Say it isn't so . . . .

Comments

[robert@rhhrassociates.com]

Good leaders are always grooming their team to be tomorrow’s leaders….

Lisa – good post never read it the first time – thanks for repeating it.

Robert

[Meredith Bell]

Lisa,
I'm with you about conflicts at work, though I have found they have been a huge opportunity for growth for ME. They forced me to dig deep to figure out why I had such an aversion to the conflict. And many times, it came down to fear that the other person won't like me or my decision. Fortunately, I rarely encounter these types of conflicts at work anymore because we have only emotionally healthy people in our company!

[HR Maven]

There are times when conflict takes time to resolve and I find that sometimes during fitful sleep, it's my brain processing. I can't say that I sleep well all the time but being a leader can mean a heavy load and making the tough calls. No one said it would be easy. :) Another fabulous post Lisa.

[Carrie Williams]

"For me, handling conflicts constructively = resolution." I agree! Have you ever heard this saying? A problem well defined is a problem half solved. This rings very true for me because I think every problem has a solution and every conflict has a resolution. You just have to break it down and figure it out.

[Lisa Rosendahl]

A problem defined is a problem half-solved . . . I like that too. IDing the problem is probably most of the work and energy. Thanks for contributing!