Nick Jonsson
#1 Global Thought Leader on Executive Loneliness, International Bestselling Author and TEDx Speaker
Nick Jonsson Podcast Episodes
Brilliantly Resilient
Episode 161: How to Manage Stress, Anxiety and Isolation in the Business World with Executives’ Global Network founder Nick Jonsson
April 25, 2023
About this episode
We need to slow down our conversations and not just say, “I’m fine,” when people ask how we are feeling. ~ Nick Jonsson
How often do you respond, “I’m fine” when someone asks how you are feeling? It’s almost automatic–partly because it’s a standard greeting, but also because many of us believe that sharing our feelings, especially if we don’t feel like rainbows and sunshine, is a sign of weakness.
Being vulnerable and admitting to feeling lonely, stressed, anxious or depressed is particularly taboo if you’re an executive in today’s business world. We expect our leaders to be strong, even if that means they must ignore their humanity and the negative feelings that sometimes come with it. The problem is that refusing to acknowledge or manage those feelings only compounds the problem, weakening the ability to lead and live effectively and happily.
Nick Jonsson knows first-hand the perils of suppressing negative feelings. After moving to a foreign country, leaving friends and family behind, Nick struggled with isolation and turned to some unhealthy ways to manage the strain. It was after a friend’s suicide that he realized the problem was more widespread than simply personal.
