Confidential

Anyone can react. Few can stay centered. Be the calm voice when others lose theirs. I learned that the hard way. Early in my career, I thought speed equaled strength. When something went wrong,  I jumped in - fixed, defended, decided. It looked decisive. But it wasn’t leadership. It was reactivity disguised as control. Reacting feels powerful in the moment - until you realize you’re just mirroring the chaos. True strength starts  where urgency ends - in the pause, the breath,  the space between stimulus and response. How to lead with calm, not chaos 👇 1. Create space before you speak Breathe. Think. Let calm arrive before your words do. 2. Separate facts from feelings Notice emotion - but don’t hand it the wheel. 3. Ask before assuming Get curious. Most tension fades once people feel heard. 4. Zoom out before zooming in See the pattern, not just the problem. Perspective builds authority. 5. Write before you reply Draft. Pause. Re-read. Clarity lives in distance. 6. Set emotional checkpoints After hard moments, ask: “What did that teach me?” 7. Journal your triggers End your day with awareness. That’s how composure is built. 8. Use mentors as mirrors Don’t seek answers. Seek what you’re not seeing. 9. Say “thank you” for hard truths Feedback isn’t attack. It’s how leaders grow. Stay kind when chaos calls. Breathe when others rush. Pause when others panic. Because your power isn’t in noise - It’s in your presence. Stay calm. Lead forward.

Be the leader your team feels safe around. Especially when things get heavy. A lot of leaders expect their team to manage stress by themselves. In doing so, they forget to ask an important question: What is causing the stress in the first place? When I founded Skinmed, it was important to me to take care of my team. I might not have been able to help in their personal lives,  but I knew I could make work a place where they felt supported. Whenever someone shows signs of burnout, it's rarely just one bad week. It's often a sign of something deeper. → Unrealistic expectations → No time to recover → Lack of clarity → Poor boundaries As a leader, if you see those patterns it's your job to step in. Otherwise, people shut down, stop asking for help, and push through until they can't anymore. A small way to open the conversation is to say, "I've noticed that things have been hard lately, is there any way I can help?" That one question can bring people out of their shell, and allow you to focus on helping them get back on track. Sometimes it means adjusting workloads. Or it might be helping someone regain their confidence. Whatever the case, what matters is that you get to the root of the problem and prevent stress from becoming the norm. What’s one small stressor you can remove for your team this week? ♻️ Repost to remind other leaders that support starts at the top.

Uncomfortable truth.. Work is NOT a family A red flag we don't talk about enough? 🚩 Companies that say "family" when they really mean "team" (Especially the big ones) I have worked in cultures like this, and I know how toxic it can be This is a lesson I learned the hard way, but you don't have to The "work-family" mindset : 🚫 Blurs the lines between home and work Saying "no" feels like a betrayal and creates burnout 🚫 Makes feedback feel personal and targeted This can drive internal divisions and personal attacks 🚫 Sets unrealistic expectations People don't owe anything to the company except what they're paid for Work is important, but it's not on par with your family No matter how collaborative and supportive your team is Here's what a healthy workplace looks like: ● There are clear boundaries ↳ A real work-life balance is nurtured and encouraged ● Everyone maintains their perspective ↳ Work comes first in the office, but life comes first outside ● There is a focus on respect, not "love." ↳ You don't need to be family to trust and support each other Your family loves you unconditionally and is your support system Your team respects you and works with you toward shared goals P.S. Have you been part of a "work-family" culture? Credit: Hamza Rauf Khan

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