The Calm Before the Storm
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_calm_before_the_storm_-_panoramio.jpg
I often share about the power of knowing and leveraging your Superpowers. I originally shared about them in this 2020 post.
In that post, I shared one of my Superpowers—
Second, it’s the fact that I always remain calm. There is little to nothing that I haven’t seen, and I don’t get flustered with stressful situations. While I may be unsettled on the inside, I exude calmness and confidence on the outside.
Now, Superpowers have a shadow side that you must be aware of and mitigate. Here’s mine for this Superpower—
Remaining Calm—it’s often happened to me that folks think I’m disengaged or don’t care when there’s an emergency. I have to occasionally uncalm myself to meet people a bit in the chaos to show empathy and connection.
I read a LinkedIn post by Alison Campbell the other day where she explored calmness. Here’s the beginning of her post—
You’re mistaken for too calm.
But here’s the thing: operations rarely run smoothly by accident.
I used to marvel at the leaders who could see future problems and solve them before anyone knew they were there.
To me, it looked like the best kind of superpower. 💪
High EQ leaders are often labeled as too soft or not effective.
Here’s what’s actually going on…
She exposed the misconceptions of High EQ leaders and their behavior, for example:
Too soft
Avoids conflict
Not decisive
Not outcome-driven
Doesn’t feel pressure
Which aligns perfectly with my superpower. I love the diagram she created below—
If you resonate with this post at all, I recommend you internalize, realize, and celebrate the reality aspects in the figure.
Many high EQ leaders and I misunderstand ourselves and are misunderstood. Don’t let that deter you from leaning into and activating this wonderful Superpower.
Stay agile, my friends,
Bob,
This is just a sample. Alison has many thought-provoking posts on leadership, and her unBurnt company mission and focus are incredibly interesting.
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What an insightful article. I have often met high-EQ leaders with well-run, highly functional teams. The article provide an excellent perspective of what is really going on in the organizations run by these leaders. Many of these organizations are often characterized as highly empowered, with individuals knowing their roles yet comfortable stepping outside them without waiting for direction. Thanks for posting the article Bob.