In a New York Times piece this weekend, Kathleen Flannigan of consulting firm Abt Associates talks about putting your professional anxiety to good use. She suggests that, as you take on new responsibilities, you're always going to have butterflies in your stomach, so you might as well find a way to use them.
Flannigan found that the nervous feelings she experienced came when she was faced with something new in an area where she didn't feel very strong. (note: I didn't need my PhD to figure that one out) The advantage to those butterflies in your stomach, then, is that they're a warning that this is something you need to spend more time on, something you'll need to put extra effort into for the simple fact that this isn't your strength. They help you focus your attention where it's really needed.
There's a counterargument to this, of course, and that is that, if you're going to be a leader, you should prepare yourself as best as possible and be ready for anything. You need to have confidence in yourself. Your job as a leader, some would say, is to not be nervous in the first place.
So what do you think? Should people strive not to have butterflies in the first place? Or, should they accept their nervousness or anxiety and try to channel it into something productive?
And if you do try to nurture those butterflies, how do you suggest doing that?
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