Leaders are always dealing with pressure. It goes hand in hand with working toward a powerful Vision. But the short-term pressures can be unendingly draining. Every day as you walk into your school, you wonder what new situation is going to hit the fan. The anxiety often pervades your time with family and friends. If you live where you work, even shopping can be a challenge.

It’s unhealthy to live that way, and it keeps you from being your best, not only with students and teachers but outside of school. You need a way to deal with pressure that will help you thrive rather than feeling as though you’re clinging to each day with your finger tips.

We can’t control what happens. We can only control how we deal with it. Our focus must be on our Mission (purpose) and Vision (ultimate goal). In her article Under Pressure As A Leader: Three Tips On How to Succeed, LaRae Quy (who I’ve referenced before)offers these tips to achieve that:

1. Plan for the worst – This doesn’t mean preparing for doom. It is anticipating what might happen and how you will respond. Quy suggests you ask yourself, “How would I respond if…” [then} Work through potential work scenarios using visualization.” For example, what would you do if you’re greeted by a parent as you enter the school, brandishing a book from your library and calling it filth. Your first step is acknowledging their concern then lowering their tone. Say something like, “I understand you are concerned about your child. Let’s go into the library and work on fixing this.” You can be prepared by having the Action Toolkit from Unite Against Book Bans and other additional resources from AASL and your state school library association.
2. Follow all leads – Then we’re in a challenging place or faced with a difficult situation, we tend to do what is most familiar. But is that the best choice? Is there something new you could try. Back to the original example, you have a method of handling that potential book banner. Has anything changed since you made that plan? Are there people who can help you come up with other methods? Start with your Personal Learning Network (PLN). Ask what they have done to deal with confrontations or any other issues putting pressure on you. What helped them build support with parents. If the book banner plans on attending a Board meeting, will any of your potential advocates be there to speak up for the library.
3. Think of the long term – This is why having Mission and Vision is key. It can help you remember what you’re striving for when the moment is challenging. Focusing on what’s immediately in front of us can cause narrow thinking which leads to mistakes that affect the future. Don’t do something today that is against your values, even if it alleviates the immediate pressure. It will come back to bite you. As Quy says, “Focusing on the long term helps us develop better coping and decision-making skills, as we rely more on cognitive strategies, such as self-control and problem-solving, rather than impulsive emotional reactions.”

To add to Quy’s tips, I want you to remember the lesson of the redwood trees. They have shallow roots yet manage to stand tall in the heavy winds. They do it by intertwining their roots with other redwoods. Don’t go it alone. We are stronger together and when there are people around you who understand the pressure you’re under, it’s not quite as bad.