Thoughtfully Ruthless

Chapter 7Becoming Imperturbable

The greatest test of how you manage your energy is to think about an important upcoming event and consider where you spend your energy before, during, and after it. Perhaps it is a meeting with your board, a crucial presentation to your executive team, or speaking at a conference. Whatever it is, thoughtfully ruthless leaders know how to manage the worry trifecta to their advantage. The three stages can either leave you feeling like you are sinking in quicksand or give you the solid, steady ground you need.

How to Stop the Worry Trifecta

Pre-Worry

While preparation is wise, a complete virtual run-through of a conversation or important meeting is expending unnecessary energy. It is helpful to consider the possible outcomes and visualize questions and obstacles and how you may improve your probability of success, but excessive pre-worry is a waste of time and your energy.

One of the clients who I mentor has a very successful consulting practice, and she was asking my advice about a potential client. She was worried about the legal documents that the potential client may want her to sign. She asked my advice on how to negotiate elements of the contract that included payment terms, nondisclosure agreements, and working arrangements. She worried a lot about how she would request changes and how she would manage their reactions, and she wanted to talk about it. Although it was not settled that her potential client was going to actually become a client, ...