Do you worry excessively? Does this place a lot of stress on you? There are many of you faced with this dilemma. The truth is that stress and anxiety can affect your health and impact on your relationships.

Panic attacks can lead to insomnia, anxiety and it places your body in “overdrive”. Anxiety takes many forms such as anxiety disorder, panic disorder or social anxiety. Incidents such as preparing for a job interview, preparing to deliver a speech or presentation, financial problems and work-related problems can trigger anxiety and stress.

Some symptoms are:

• Dizziness
• Dry mouth
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Muscle tension
• Nausea
• Irregular breath
• Perspiring
• Trembling and twitching

In a 2017 study by Profmed, the 3 000 respondents indicated that work-related stress was a main contributor of anxiety. Respondents also indicated that stress had both an emotional and physical impact on them, with 11% stating that they had to take time off work due to stress-related illnesses. Of great concern is the 29 % of professionals who felt that they were not managing stress effectively. If this persists, you will be prone to burnout.

What is a phobia?

A phobia is an intense fear of something that, in reality, poses little or no actual danger. Common phobias and fears include closed-in places, heights, highway driving, flying insects, snakes, and needles. However, you can develop phobias of virtually anything. While most phobias develop in childhood, they can also develop later in life.

Phobias can sometimes consume you and act as an obstacle to success. Consider a person who harbours a fear of flying, and their job entails flying. This can lead to anything from a demotion, poor performance or even resignation.

You will need to address this phobia especially in the following instances:

• It causes intense and disabling fear, anxiety, and panic
• You recognize that your fear is excessive and unreasonable
• You avoid certain situations and places because of your phobia
• Your avoidance interferes with your normal routine or causes significant distress
• You’ve had the phobia for at least six months

You will know when you have a problem with anxiety, stress and phobias especially when:

• You experience feelings in insecurity or inadequacy
• You feel being watched or observed while doing something
• You have trouble socialising
• You do not accept or manage criticism, even if it is constructive by nature
• You feel that all eyes are on you
• You dread speaking or presenting in public
• You experience feelings of paranoia
• You have difficulty in forming new relationships or friendships
• You appear to be reclusive and unnaturally introverted

My coaching programme will assist you to:

• Help with building confidence and self-esteem
• Help you to not over-analyse situations
• Control your emotions and have faith in yourself
• Get rid of negativity and negative beliefs
• Rid yourself of fears and phobias
• Have greater energy, feel free and empowered
• Help with building confidence and social skills
• Alter your perspective on life

So what is responsible leadership? Is it simply judicious financial management? Is it how to show profits and cut down on expenditure? Does it deal with people management and providing mentorship and guidance? Is it about leading by example and living good values? Is it about being ecologically friendly and factoring-in green living and climate change? Is it about community outreach and national imperatives? Is it about social responsibility and not just ticking boxes? Is it about having a clean lifestyle?

Or is it about lining your pockets? It is about manipulating people and situations to seize power? Is it about lining up friends who can assist you in your selfish desire to enrich a select few? Is it about underestimating your key stakeholders by telling them, for instance, that a swimming pool in your house was built to put out fires- a fire pool in other words? Is it about giving the youth out there the perception that you can progress and enrich yourself without working hard? Is it about neglecting your key stakeholders and benefitting yourself and your associates? Is it about inward thinking and neglecting the proverbial bugger picture?

The answer I guess depends on where your priorities and values lie.

In South Africa we have individuals such as Marcus Jooste, Brian Molefe, Anoj Singh and Tom Moyane who are counterbalanced by Sizwe Nxasana, Thuli Madonsella, Archibishop Desmond Tutu, and of the course the legendary Nelson Mandela.

As a responsible leader, you need to be an exemplary role model and mentor. Sadly, our country is in dire need of credible role models and the youth have a perception that making money the “easy way” is the norm. As a responsible leader and Manager of human capital, you need to be a beacon and guiding light so that your good values and example become a blueprint worthy of paying-it- forward.

Of course, you will need to be:

• Level-headed
• Calm
• Rational
• Receptive to new ideas
• Empathetic
• Knowledgeable
• A people’s person
• A true champion
• A good listener
• Trustworthy and credible

My coaching programme can assist you with:

• Managing staff members
• Providing guidance and mentorship
• Setting goals for yourself, the organization and the staff members
• Building an environment of trust and integrity
• Communication, public speaking and presenting skills
• Developing and motivating staff members
• Building confidence and rapport with all staff members
• Build innovation and creativity in problem-solving environments in your office and in the organisation