Introducing: The Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC) - Save 50% During Launch Phase
Every week, you’ll get insights and actionable steps to help you navigate personal growth and professional success.
As city managers, you’re intimately familiar with stress. The constant demands, unexpected crises, and high-stakes decisions are part of your daily routine. But what if I told you that this stress, when properly managed, could be a key to your professional growth instead of your demise?
Enter the “Growth Equation”: Stress + Rest = Growth
This concept, introduced by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness in their book “Peak Performance,” offers a fresh perspective on how we can leverage stress to enhance our leadership capabilities.
Understanding the Equation
1. Stress: In our roles, stress comes from challenging projects, difficult conversations, or pushing our skills to new limits. This ‘positive’ stress, or eustress, is what drives us out of our comfort zones.
2. Rest: This isn’t just about sleep (though that’s crucial). Rest includes mental breaks, time for reflection, and activities that recharge us. It’s the recovery period that allows our minds and bodies to adapt to the stress we’ve experienced.
3. Growth: When we balance stress with adequate rest, we grow. We become more resilient, more skilled, and better equipped to handle future challenges.
Applying the Growth Equation in City Management
1. Embrace Challenging Projects: Take on that complex urban development plan or community engagement initiative. These stressors push you to develop new skills and perspectives.
2. Schedule Deliberate Rest: Block out time in your calendar for reflection, learning, or simply disconnecting. This could be a weekly review session or a monthly strategy day away from the office. I recommend scheduling 10-minute chunks between meetings (FREE tool below) to capture thoughts and transition well to the next agenda item.
3. Develop Recovery Rituals: Create habits that help you transition from work mode to rest mode. This could be a post-work workout, a family dinner, or a mindfulness practice. My post-work workout rhythm has been one of the most significant ways I’ve transformed multiple aspects of my personal and professional life.
4. Seek Feedback and Reflect: Regular feedback sessions with your team or mentors can provide the right amount of stress to drive growth. Follow these with periods of reflection to internalize lessons learned.
5. Prioritize Sleep: As leaders, we often sacrifice sleep. But remember, it’s during sleep that much of our mental processing and recovery occurs. Aim for 7-9 hours per night.
6. Create a Growth-Oriented Culture: Extend this principle to your team. Encourage them to take on challenges but also respect their need for recovery.
Balancing Act
Remember, the key is balance or as I have termed, “living in the tension.” Too much stress without adequate rest leads to burnout. Too much rest without stress leads to stagnation. As city leaders, we need to find that sweet spot where we’re consistently challenged but also consistently recovering. This will look different for each of you and will vary depending on your unique self and season of life so keep assessing and adjusting.
Reflection Questions
– What are the primary sources of stress in your role? Are they growth-inducing or merely draining?
– How do you currently incorporate rest and recovery into your routine?
– Can you identify a recent situation where you experienced growth following a period of stress and rest?
Conclusion
The Growth Equation offers a powerful framework for city leaders to transform the inherent pressures of their roles into catalysts for personal and professional development. By consciously balancing stress with intentional rest, you can build resilience, enhance your leadership skills, and ultimately serve your communities more effectively. Remember, growth doesn’t happen by chance—it’s the result of deliberately engaging with challenges and allowing yourself time to recover and reflect. As you navigate the complex landscape of city management, let the Growth Equation be your guide to sustained excellence and personal well-being. Embrace the pressure, prioritize your rest, and watch yourself grow into an even more impactful leader.
I encourage you to share your experiences and strategies in the comments on our LinkedIn Page. How are you applying the Growth Equation in your role as a city manager?
Seth Winterhalter is President of HaltingWinter Municipal Solutions, dedicated to making stronger cities through stronger leaders. Through executive coaching, consulting, and the Municipal Leadership Development Circle (MLDC), HaltingWinter helps city managers and municipal leaders transform their leadership impact and their organizational culture.
