As Jocelyn, a senior leader of a large international bank, entered the coaching session, her whole appearance radiated stress. Rapidly, she started talking, revealing a recent upheaval that caught her completely off guard: “Last week, a new CEO was appointed, and the first thing he did was fire my boss. My boss and I have worked closely for years and were always very aligned in our thinking and approach. I have no idea what my position is right now or which direction this new CEO is taking. I haven’t seen any plan; there’s great uncertainty. My team is stressed out, and I don’t have any answers. I’m scheduled to meet with this new guy for the first time tomorrow. I have no clue what to expect and how to prepare for it.”
It was clear that Jocelyn needed to shift gears. “The gearbox” is a metaphor for the mind and a self-awareness tool, enabling us to assess our state of mind and quality of thinking in response to what’s happening around us. Rather than attributing stress to circumstances, it’s actually our thoughts and emotional reactions about these circumstances that fuel stress. This cascade of thoughts and emotions drives our actions, behaviors and performance.
Shifting gears is a pivotal skill for maximizing effectiveness. If we want to perform at a high level, we must understand what goes on in our minds and how it’s affecting our emotions and actions. Analogous to a car’s gearbox, this technique enables us to shift from feeling powerless in the face of events to powerfully taking control and action.
The higher your gear, the more effective and creative your thinking and decision-making. As a result, we feel more confident, excited, creative, and alive and perform at a higher level.
In reverse gear, it’s very hard to make any forward progress. Our quality of thinking is low, breeding unproductive thoughts and emotions. We make assumptions and judgments, causing us to feel stressed, anxious, insecure, and frustrated.
Mastering the art of shifting gears empowers you to excel in the moment.
Returning to Jocelyn’s story, a transformative conversation sparks. After some introspection of her reactions to this situation, I wanted her to see how she showed up as a leader in uncertainty. She recognized she tends to withdraw by working from home more and immediately realized that she needed to shift to a higher gear.
I asked her: “Considering what’s going on right now, what type of leader do you want to be?” Jocelyn started formulating ideas on supporting her team better by showing more compassion and support. We discussed the potential challenges for the new CEO and how she could support him. She came up with some brilliant ideas on how her team could help him in his role while at the same time proving the value of her and her team. Jocelyn shifted from anxiety to powerful and proactive engagement. As she faces the new CEO, she’s armed with purposeful topics for discussion.
Here are six ways to master the art of shifting into high gear
1. Observe your Thoughts.
Begin observing your thoughts daily. Understand that just because thoughts appear inside your mind does not make them true or intrinsic to who you are. Don’t personalize them or judge them. Just notice: How much time do you spend in high gear; experiencing enthusiasm, inspiration, joy, happiness? How often do your thoughts keep you in reverse gear; feeling anxiety, stress, discouragement, or anger?
2. Identify your Emotional Triggers
Start becoming more aware of your low-gear reactions to situations by completing the following sentences like:
· “I get angry when …..”
· “I feel discouraged when ….”
· “I feel upset when ….”
Recognize that events don’t dictate emotions; interpretations do.
Challenge your interpretations: “What else may be going on?” “What’s a different way of looking at this situation/person (that’s more helpful)?”
3. Defy Imposter Syndrome
Like many professionals, you may have that little voice in your head that’s always questioning you, telling you you’re not good enough, qualified, or experienced enough. This internal critic fabricates future scenarios rooted in fear, not reality. Recognize it’s there, but don’t buy into its stories.
4. Seek Honest Feedback
The more senior you are in your role, the less people will give you honest and open feedback. Establish a circle of trustworthy people who can offer candid insights. All top people, whether in sports, film, politics, or business, have coaches, mentors, and advisors to help them perform at their best. Leverage feedback to refine your leadership skills.
5. Focus on Helping Others
In reverse gear, shift your attention outward. Assist colleagues, team members, peers, or your boss. Helping others fosters solutions-oriented thinking.
6. Cultivate Gratitude
It’s impossible to stay in reverse gear when we focus on things we’re grateful for. Gratitude is the antidote to fear and frustration.
What’s going well for you right now? What are you happy about? Where do you see you and your team are making progress? Practicing gratitude immediately shifts our minds into higher gear, creating positive feelings and serenity, which can be just what you need in turbulent times.
When we experience intense pressure and chaos, the ability to shift gears empowers us to shift out of our ‘autopilot reaction’ mode and into a ‘controlled response’ mode.
By mastering the art of shifting gears, leaders like Jocelyn transition from turbulence to strategic clarity, proving that amidst chaos, the capacity for effective leadership remains unwavering.
Note: Name changed to protect privacy.
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