One of the keys to good leadership is the ability to self-reflect.

It isn’t “news” that certain aspects of the local and US economy are shifting, which is causing difficult times for many.

When we are challenged by difficult times, the most common reaction is FEAR, of either losing something we have, or not getting something that we want. 

At the same time, “difficulty” is relative. On the one hand you have the extreme experience of the Holocaust survivor, versus the dropped cell phone call. So it’s also a matter of individual experience and perspective.

What can we do?

1. Resist the herd mentality by ignoring the negative media frenzy, and trusting your own ability to discern fiction from reality.
2. Intellectually interpret your situation, don’t emotionally react to it. When you are flooded with feelings, move to that higher part of your brain and think objective thoughts.
3. Reach out and help somebody having a more difficult time than you. It will shift the focus away from your own problems.
4. Make a list of the things for which you are grateful and focus on those things, not on what you are afraid of losing or what you have lost.
5. Trust in the fact that this too shall pass, and that God did not bring you this far to drop you.

We all experience difficult times or challenging times in our businesses and in our life. But we can manage it with our attitude, our outlook and our expectations.

“Show me a man who has all of your answers, and I’ll show you a man who has few of his own.”

On our radio show, The Commercial Real Estate & Development Zone, Dave Kotter and I had the pleasure of interviewing Darlene Newsom, CEO of UMOM New Day Centers. UMOM provides life’s basic necessities to the homeless including food, clothing and shelter, in addition to tools to build a bridge to self-sufficiency. My favorite quote from Darlene is “Everybody deserves the opportunity to change.”

Learn more about UMOM at www.umom.org.