Executives’ Safe Sounding Board

Stress Busters 

* Success Boosters Now, it’s not Lonely@ the Top or @any Level

* “It is strange to be known universally and yet be so lonely.”

- Albert Einstein

                                                 

*“Many high profile executives exude confidence and carry an excellent presence and bearing about them, outwardly giving an impression that all is well…--some of the most successful leaders, however, have a lonely face behind the mask.

- Barry T. Knight

Loneliness is a terrible stressor. It is the greatest curse of humanity. And, Einstein’s ‘lonely- in- the -crowd’ feeling creates ‘misery in the plenty’.

With ever-escalating complexities, uncertainties and the flat nature of organizations, tension, and misery are not only at the top but at all the levels, and both at the workplace and in homes.

Loneliness leads to bottling-up of feelings and emotions and consequently tension and stress levels shoot-up.

Stress can ruin health, career

Acute and chronic stress can ruin health, career, marital and other relationships. It is considered to be the main cause of many ailments like heart attacks, insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

It is a great irony that an alarm about the Covnd-19 pandemic evoked a massive global response and schemes running into billions of dollars were launched to combat it. But, the continuous 'stress pandemic' raging wild all these years (a survey found more than 50% of people and an even higher proportion of executives suffer from it) has evoked a fragmented and minuscule response; many suffer in silence.

Wild stress pandemic is raging. The horrifying nature of the stress pandemic can be gauged from a reported finding that Americans, 4% of the world population, consume 67% of the global supply of anti-depressants, worth about $6 billion. Allowing for survey errors even half of these figures is alarming.  The picture in other countries may not be very different if quack remedies are included.

There are many ‘stress gurus’. Most offer palliatives and temporary relief by diverting attention from the root causes that trigger and or aggravate stresses.

Proven remedy: a sounding board

The most effective and proven remedy is to have a sounding board, a thought partner or a confidant. The first advantage is that it eliminates the bottling up of emotions or gives a vent to relieve the pressure. Once the pressure is reduced, the sounding board, who also acts as a ‘devil’s advocate’, can help analyze the complex situation and, together with you, come up with alternatives that have differing levels of risk.

The idea of a sounding board is not new. Ancient kings had seers and saints to talk confidentially about sensitive and complex matters relating to the family or the palace.

Heads of States have Executive Sounding Boards

The most successful leaders from Alexander the Great to President Obama, have had sounding boards. And, corporate chiefs too have their own confidants and consultants to help discreetly, while maintaining the image of an independent, valorous general taking momentous decisions in a jiffy, based on the gut feeling.

Bloomberg magazine report titled “Obama’s Executive Sounding Board” explains in detail the significant role of the ‘Chicago troupe’.

F. W. de Klerk, the former President of South Africa, who faced the daunting task of stepping into the shoes of the legendary and towering super leader, Nelson Mandela, frankly admitted: “The objective advice from people without a personal, financial or political agenda has been priceless for me. It enabled me to resolve seemingly overwhelming problems.” (Emphasis added). He was referring to the Global Leadership Foundation, a group of former Heads of State and other eminent leaders.

Many popular ‘stress gurus’ with a flourishing practice, including some executive coaches and mentors perhaps, have perhaps never personally experienced the torturous feelings that arise when one is in a tight spot, or in a judgment trap or at a make-or-break turning point in his/her career or personal life. These are soothsayers. You need those who have emerged hale and hearty after decades of trials by fire and daunting calamities. They faced them calmly and in your lingo remain 'cool’. We will bring their stories to you from time to time. Stay tuned.