A leader focusing on worrying is mostly busy with seeing risks and problems. His anxiety is driving him, to an extent that his thinking is tied to the more negative side of his perception of the situation, others, or himself. This makes it difficult for them to make their own choices as they feel pushed to react to the situation or others.

A leader focusing on caring is mostly focusing on what he can bring to the situation, others, or himself. He is not focusing on either the positive or negative view of things. He sees existing needs or possibilities to help others and chooses his behavior based on what he sees fit to do. This can be by transforming the situation so that it enables a sense of belonging, or by making it visible to others that they belong. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they will do what others seem to ask for or want. Maybe even on the contrary. It can just as well be that the caring will be invested in moving the project forward to help the team see the direction.

Both worrying and caring will regularly occur. There is no way to only have one of both. Nevertheless, what serves a leader best is his ability to move on from worrying to caring.