Episode #135: Emotional Intelligence – Living and Leading in Uncertainty

Finding Your Groove With Kathleen Thompson

The world has turned upside down. Some of us are fighting a very real battle every day. And some are practicing social distancing to help in the cause. We’re all feeling it in one way or other. The world looks very different from how it did a few short months or weeks ago. So now what? Is it okay to grieve? And if we do, then what? That’s what we’re talking about on this episode – how to live and lead with uncertainty.

(c) Photo by Sasha Freemind on Unsplash

Play Episode

| Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe in Stitcher

On This Episode

Music resources to help encourage and lift you up.

Keith Urban Underground

Kat & Dave Show

David Foster Eleven Words

Andrea Bocelli

COVID-19 Quarantine Spotify Playlist

Kathleen’s Facebook Lives

Feature Segment: Emotional Intelligence – Living and Leading in Uncertainty

We're all feeling it. That sense that the world has just turned upside down. And also maybe feeling guilty for feeling this way, if we’re not on the battlefield or immediate support team. It’s kind of like survivor’s guilt. They sacrifice every day and we’re on the couch? All we have to do is stay home? What’s big deal?

Brene Brown and mental health professionals call is Comparative Suffering. Brene talks about it in one of her recent podcasts.

Comparative suffering doesn’t do you any good. And let’s face it. There are undoubtedly people suffering more than you right now. And less than you too.

Now that we’ve acknowledged that, let’s get on to the real point of this episode. This is a big deal. To all of us. Here’s why:

1. Worry
2. Helplessness
3. Economy
4. The worst? Randomness, uncertainty. Bad things happen to good people. With no apparent reason.

We often live as though that isn’t true. We live as if we’ll never die. When faced with the truth, it’s easy to collapse or harden ourselves.

Once you see this truth, you can’t unsee it. Once you know, can’t unknow. Your innocence is gone. So now what?

To live and lead with emotional intelligence right now in time of worldwide uncertainty, the most important thing to do is to hold two apparently contradictory truths simultaneously:

1. We have an amazing capacity to affect change for good
2. Much of what happens in the world is outside of our direct control

Actions you can take today:

1. Connect with what IS certain. Whatever that is for you. Seasons change. God’s love.
2. If leading, state what isn’t known, and what is. Create certainty within the uncertainty. A belief in something that doesn’t change.

Let yourself feel what you feel. Don’t fall prey to comparative suffering. Grieve the loss of freedom and also innocence. And then decide you want to thrive in uncertainty. Start by building foundation on what is true and unchanging. Like God’s love.

Is there any music you're listening to right now that encourages you? Leave a comment.

---

To thrive in uncertainty, build your foundation on what is certain.
Click To Tweet

---

The post Episode #135: Emotional Intelligence – Living and Leading in Uncertainty first appeared on Kathleen Ann Thompson.