Hello KSKOers
I really enjoyed my conversation with Dr Lalitaa Suglani an award winning psychologist, leadership empowerment expert, international speaker and author of the book ‘High Functioning Anxiety’. She's often featured in the New York Post, Harper's Bazaar, the Daily Mail and international publications. Join us as we talk about how leaders can recognise and manager high functioning anxiety by tapping in to their self-awareness.
Listen here or watch the video above!
Looking forward to joining you on your learning journey!
1. The Importance of Self-Awareness: Dr Lalitaa emphasises self-awareness as crucial for understanding our reactions to situations and managing emotions. By recognising our emotional triggers and exploring influences like childhood experiences, we can be more in control of our responses. Growing our self-awareness helps with managing high functioning anxiety, allowing us to better handle life’s challenges. By integrating our ‘shadow parts’ it helps us understand ourselves leading to improved emotional resilience
2. Leaders and High Functioning Anxiety: Dr Lalitaa discusses high functioning anxiety in leaders, who may seem composed on the outside but struggling on the inside. Often rooted in childhood, this anxiety can result in neglecting self-care. By recognising and managing anxiety through building self-awareness, leaders can prevent burnout and foster greater authenticity. Understanding early emotional influences helps us to develop healthier self-care practices.
3. Digital vs. Human Balance at Work: We highlight the need to balance digital engagement with human interaction in work environments. Dr Lalitaa stresses the importance of setting boundaries in hybrid settings, especially for those with high functioning anxiety. By paying attention and being responsive to the varying and individualised communication needs of our colleagues we can combat feelings of disconnection and burnout. Creating supportive work environments enhances productivity and fosters a culture where mental health and well-being are prioritised.
4. Childhood’s Impact on Emotion: Childhood experiences profoundly shape emotional regulation in adulthood. Dr Lalitaa explains how parenting inconsistencies can lead to patterns like people-pleasing. She shares her journey, highlighting the importance of self-trust, to overcome past challenges. By recognising these formative experiences we can build resilience and enhance both personal and professional well-being, leading to a more fulfilling life.
5. Supportive Work Cultures: Creating a supportive work culture is crucial for helping people deal with high functioning anxiety. Dr Lalitaa advocates for genuine, empathetic interactions and balanced boundaries in leadership. By talking more openly about fears of incompetence and tackling issues like anxiety and imposter syndrome, organisation can encourage a culture of growth and inclusivity, so that everyone feels valued and equipped to succeed.
Here are the top five actions you can take away from this episode to develop your self-aware leadership skills:
Prioritise Self-Reflection: Engage in regular self-reflection to understand your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Journaling, therapy, or talking with trusted colleagues or friends can help deepen your self-awareness, allowing you to identify emotional triggers and manage your reactions more effectively.
Set Boundaries: Recognise the importance of boundary-setting, especially in digital communications in hybrid work environments. Be mindful of your communication styles and patterns, and create space for mental rest to prevent burnout.
Embrace Authenticity: Authenticity in leadership involves being open about your experiences while maintaining appropriate boundaries. Decide what’s right for you to share and what to keep private to foster genuine connections, while preserving personal space.
Initiate Genuine Conversations: Practice starting meaningful conversations with people who you think might not be feeling themselves, by simply asking ‘how are you doing?’ . Offer to talk in private to foster trust and understanding.
Understand and Integrate Anxiety: Address high functioning anxiety by understanding its roots and incorporating it into your self-awareness. This approach helps prevent anxiety from dictating your reactions and supports your overall well-being.
By focusing on these actions, you can expand you leadership capabilities through greater self-awareness and intentionality.
Visit Dr Lalitaa Suglani’s website
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Nia is an expert leader who talks the talk and walks the walk. She is an academically awarded thought leader in self-aware leadership and practices self-aware leadership every single day in her role as a Director in a Children’s Charity.
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