LeadershipHQ Magazine June 2015 2nd Edition | Page 7

leaders don’t sweat the

small
stuff
at
work
by kristine carlson
A leader is someone that brings
out the best in himself/herself
and others by focusing on what
matters most to the team and by
minimising the amount of stress
and conflict experienced at work.
Here are The Three R’s of not
sweating the small stuff by Dr.
Richard Carlson, from his book,
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff at
Work. It’s simple but true that great
leaders are:

1. Responsive
2. Receptive
3. Reasonable

“Responsive”
means
acting
appropriately to the issue at hand. In a
curve ball situation, rather than being
driven and controlled by habitual,
knee-jerk reactions, being responsive
means having the ability to maintain
perspective and to choose the best
possible alternative or course of action,
given your unique situation. Because
they are able to see the entirety of a
situation (the big picture) responsive
individuals are able to factor into every
equation all the variables, instead of
being limited to their usual way of
doing things. They are willing and able
to change the course of direction not
too unlike the captain of a ship must
alter his course in a storm. A good
builder, for example, knows that there
will be unforeseen issues that arise
during the course of the best-laid plans.
He doesn’t panic when things happen;
he takes them in stride responding to
the changes with flexibility.
“Receptive” implies being open to
ideas and suggestions. It means you
are inclined and willing to receive
whatever it is that you need at that
moment—data, creativity, a new
idea or whatever. It’s the opposite of
being closed minded, stubborn, and
limited. One of the qualities of being
a receptive leader is to maintain the
innocence of “a beginner’s mind” with
a willingness to learn, even if they are
considered the expert. Because they
are not defensive, these people have
sharp learning curves and are almost
always the ones who come up with
the best ideas—or recognize the best
ideas from others. They are great team
builders and participants because they
think “out of the box” and consider all
points of view with an open mind. A
great CEO will often listen attentively
and actually take the advice of others
including his employees. A leader is
able to step aside from ego in search of
the best answers to an issue even if the
answer contradicts his original idea.

7 | © LeadershipHQ 2015

One great CEO I know said: “It makes
my job much easier to be genuinely
receptive to suggestions from others
rather than shutting them off. I have
the advantage of hundreds of brilliant
minds working together—rather than
depending on my own pea-sized brain
by comparison.”
“Reasonable” suggests the ability
to see things fairly, without the selfserving justification that so often
clouds our vision. It’s the ability
to see your own contribution to a
problem and the willingness to listen
to and learn from other points of
view. Being reasonable includes the
ability to put yourself in the shoes of
others—always able to empathize and
see the big picture. People who are
reasonable are well liked and highly
respected for their opinions. Because
they are willing to listen, others pay
close attentions to what they have to
say, as well. Reasonable people rarely
have enemies and conflicts are kept to
a minimum but when one comes up, it
is resolved with integrity and heartfelt
communication. They are able to see
beyond their own needs, tending
to the needs of others with greater
perspective and compassion.
If you did nothing more than strive
to be responsive, receptive and
reasonable, I think you might find that
the small stuff takes care of itself and
the big picture is managed with grace,
ease and expanded perspective.
Richard Carlson, Ph.D. is the author of
the acclaimed Don’t Sweat the Small
Stuff series of books that sold over 25
million copies worldwide. This article
was written by his wife and co-author
of the series, Kristine Carlson, who
carries forward the Don’t Sweat the
Small Stuff legacy on his behalf.
www.kristinecarlson.com and
dontsweat.com