It is a bit like if you were in a boat and have set your course, but the boat springs a leak and you spend your whole time bailing water and have no time to steer.

William Bridges created a model of change and transition that is highly relevant in today’s financial readjustment. When the collapse of Lehman Brothers started the domino effect of the global crisis, many of us would have experienced first shock, then denial, anger and fear. If you lost money or a job you might then experience grief, frustration, confusion, stress and loss of control.

As an executive coach and leadership consultant I have often witnessed this spiraling down into paralysis that Bridges calls the ‘neutral zone’. Symptoms of the neutral zone include ambiguity, anxiety and the absence of motivation. The cure for this paralysis is a new vision of what is possible.

Einstein said that, “A problem cannot be solved with the same level of thinking that created the problem.” When in the neutral zone, we are in a dark place and our ability to think optimistically and see possibilities is severely limited. What is required is a little magic, the magic of imagination. All of human achievement started with imagination, from running a mile in under 4 minutes, to imagining what it would be like on the top of Mount Everest to imagining walking on the surface of the moon.

A vision will inspire, motivate and engender creativity and it starts with using imagination to travel to the future when things will be better. The Executive who asks him/herself, “What is possible?” “What will we be doing when things are better?” To do achieve this we must take time to stop bailing the water in the boat and look to the shore. Most executives find this extremely difficult as they leave themselves little or no time to stop, step back and think strategically.

With a new vision of where you are going, you and your people will become more optimistic, think creatively and start planning actions that will move you towards success.

It was no surprise that Barack Obama beat John McCain; Dr Martin Seligman in his book ‘Learned Optimism’ talks about his analysis of US elections based on the number of positive or optimistic comments made by the candidates. Obama clearly offered a more optimistic view of the future and thus captured the popular vote.

Obama is being called a transformational leader because he:

1. Created a vision that inspired the American voters (and the world) to believe that there were new possibilities.

2. Stimulates people to think, to re-examine their ideas and find creative alternatives. Such an environment breeds imagination and innovation.

3. Treats people as individuals making people feel valued and encouraging them to contribute. He recognizes that people have unique talents, strengths and weakness and allowing for these differences without judgment.

The transformational leader must have what I like to call ‘realistic optimism’ which is a practical and pragmatic approach that is ideally suited to the current climate. Realistic optimism is the mindset that we can make the best of any circumstance; it is the acceptance that bad things do happen but with a healthy self-esteem and the confidence in our abilities we can overcome adversity, learn from the situation and be even better for the experience.

Optimism without right actions and following sound principles will not be enough. Lehman Brothers failed because of over-optimism and the senior management not being in alignment with their own company’s vision and values.

In the current climate it is tempting to focus on immediate need and make tactical rather than strategic decisions; I urge you to step back for a moment, get in touch with your personal or company vision and ask yourself, “Is this decision the right one for the long term?”

Andrew Bryant is the Director of Self Leadership International and is based in Singapore but travels extensively as an executive coach and leadership consultant.

Some years ago I wrote an article on  self-leadership strategies to manage yourself during tough times and thought is appropriate to post it to this blog.

Let me know by your comments if you find it useful.

1. Differentiate between self-esteem, self-confidence

Self-esteem is not a thing! It is a process. Self-esteem is not fixed it is dynamic. Self-esteem is a judgment on your esteeming or valuing. How do you value yourself as a human being?

Nobody gave you your dignity and so nobody can take it away. Your ability to think, emote (experience emotions) to speak and to act are yours and therefore highly valuable.

Self-confidence is a judgment about our capabilities or competencies. There are things we do well and things we have not yet mastered. Our self-confidence is just an audit of our skill sets and should be put into the context of ‘there is no failure – only feedback’.

When viewed in this light we can develop and build our self-confidence without ever effecting our self-esteem.

2. Don’t Personalise or Catastrophise

Understand that bad stuff happens, even to good people. The first step in learned helplessness is to make it personal, the “why does it have to happen to me” syndrome.

Asking the ‘why‘ question can send you into a downward spiral.

Recognise the boundary between you and the world – me/not me. This enables you to contextualise the problem or situation and work towards a solution. By clearly differentiating your self-esteeming from the problem you can maintain a more objective and flexible approach. Catastrophising or personalising limits our options and can immobilise us in fear or self-defeat.

3. Set out a time frame to solution

When problems arise they can trick us in to believing they are forever. If you buy-in to the belief that the problem is permanent then you will be paralysed by dark thoughts. Realising that “this too shall pass” mobilises us to seek resolution and move our minds in the direction of a brighter future when the problem is behind us.How long will it take to solve this?

4. Take the problem to bits

Questions can break a problem into its component parts or reduce it to a manageable size.

• How specifically is this a problem?
• In what context is this a problem?
• According to whom is it a problem?
• What is this problem teaching me?

The last question can be a real eye opener as it presupposes that we learn from challenges and therefore become stronger.

5. Gather your resources

What do you need to know or whom do you need to speak to? Einstein said, “problems cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them”. What resources can you access to raise your level of thinking?” Sometimes just speaking to someone can clarify your situation and enable you to see other possibilities.

6. Look after yourself

At times of stress we can often take the short cut to relaxation and turn to alcohol or sedatives. On the contrary it is it times of greatest problems that we need to burn off our stress hormones with exercise. Take the time to exercise, especially in the fresh air, as this can re-charge your batteries and give you the stamina to overcome your obstacle. Eat healthily, your brain and body needs their nutrients and whether this challenge is a marathon or a sprint, you will need the energy from good foods. One health food that is sometimes overlooked in time of stress is a large dose of laughter. Laughter has a remarkable effect on the immune system and is a major stress reliever. If necessary hire yourself a funny video for you daily dose.

7. Reaffirm your Values

What we value gives us the desire and passion to act. Sometimes during crisis we can lose sight of what we really value. This is not a time to let go of your ideals. By getting deeply in touch with your value and passion you find the energy and resources to overcome your problems. If it is worth having – it is worth the struggle. When you throw a javelin it is necessary to take your throwing arm and the javelin behind your head to gain maximum propulsion. So it is with life, that sometimes a setback can give you greater propulsion. Finally, remember that luck is an acronym for Laboring Under Correct Knowledge.