PLN 45: Self-Leadership Under Pressure: How to Protect Your Judgment

Time to Read: 4 mins 

I’m the first to admit I’m obsessed with self-leadership. But it’s for good reason!

I spent decades looking for a proven framework to help me step into the life I wanted and become the leader I aspired to be.

Self-leadership was that solution.

But my experience with it is not unique.

Self-leadership success stories are everywhere, often hiding in plain sight. And today I came across one on McKinsey's website that I had to share.

They interviewed Natarajan Srinivasan, a veteran executive who, in 2020, agreed to lead the turnaround of CG Power, a struggling manufacturing company.

He knew the organization was in trouble going in. But he had no idea how bad it really was.

Within his first few weeks, he discovered the factories had stopped running, the financial statements were “unreliable” (at best), and lenders were no longer willing to keep the company afloat.

In addition, regulatory investigations were underway, employees were bailing left and right, and… as I said... it was 2020! So he had the pressures and constraints of the pandemic on top of it all.

While talking about the challenges, Srinivasan admitted something most executives don't say out loud.

He thought he'd made the biggest mistake of his career by accepting the position.

And it was impacting him on a variety of levels. His life was filled with sleepless nights and skyrocketing blood pressure. And he couldn’t shake the looming thought that his successful career would end with a spectacular, public fail.

But then came a realization that most people miss under this kind of pressure. Srinivasan realized that if he let the stress run the show, he wouldn’t be able to think clearly at a time when it mattered most.

So, instead of trying to make his fear disappear, he started intentionally managing his response to it.

He meditated every morning and evening, despite the firestorm of pressures engulfing him. And he prioritized his mindset and self talk by repeating one thing to himself over and over: he would handle the chaos around him without letting it govern him.

Leaders often think self-regulation means staying composed in front of everyone else… regulating your emotions and responses.

But Srinivasan saw it differently. He sought to keep his own judgment intact, knowing that was the one thing the entire turnaround actually depended on.

(As an aside, his instinct is backed by science. Neuroscientist Amy Arnsten’s research has shown that stress hormones physically impair the prefrontal cortex, the exact part of the brain responsible for judgment and clear thinking.)

Srinivasan’s judgment is what enabled him to clearly see that he couldn’t fix the company alone, and trying to do so would hurt both his health and the organization.

So he handed more authority to his team, inspiring them to see that their stake in the company’s future mattered as much as his own.

And the plan worked! Here’s the link to the interview if you want all the nitty-gritty details (it’s pretty fascinating), but the net-net is that the company, which had a market cap under 10 billion rupees, is now valued at more than 900 billion.

All because he decided to lead himself before he tried to lead the company.

💡 Practionable Takeaway

High-stakes decisions come in all shapes and sizes. The next time you’re facing one, ask yourself:

Am I coming from my clearest thinking, or am I reacting from whatever state I happen to be in right now?

If it's the latter, pause and name it. Maybe it’s stress, or adrenaline, or fear of getting it wrong.

The simple act of naming it allows you to work with it, instead of act from it.

And this clears the path to better judgment and decision-making.

Inner Leader —> Outer Impact

🎥 Want to Go Deeper? 

Srinivasan's story is an example of the three self-leadership pillars playing out IRL.

He addressed how he thought, catching the stress before it could run the show. He adjusted how he acted, proactively choosing meditation and delegation. And he addressed how he motivated himself and his team, by giving them ownership and tying their stake in the outcome to his own.

Addressing all three pillars is one of the clearest pathways to success. (Thus the reason I'm obsessed! 😉 )

Curious where your self-leadership scores stand? Take the free self-leadership assessment. Ten quick minutes and you’ll walk away with a customized report, including suggestions for development.

To Your Success,

Laura 💜🧡

P.S. Where have you spotted self-leadership hiding in plain sight lately? I'm always collecting stories like Srinivasan's, so send yours my way. I read every reply!