2 keys to improve the mental and emotional well-being of leaders

The last few years have not been easy for anyone. According to a survey by The Standard (the marketing arm of StanCorp Financial Group) conducted at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, About half of American workers admitted to having problems with their mental health. Business leaders are certainly not immune to such challenges; In fact, it is all too easy for them to prioritize the health of a company over their own well-being, but the truth is that a company cannot prosper if its leaders are not physically and psychologically sound. It is essential for the health of a company (and of the people who make it up, according to Psychology Today ) take care of themselves.

I’ve had ups and downs with my own emotional health as an executive, and through trial and error, I’ve found two key practices that keep it from slipping and affecting my business: being transparent and taking ownership.

Transparency: the good, the bad and the ugly

It is a natural instinct to share only the good news and leave out the bad. A quick tour of social media will be a testament to that: a slideshow of highlights…new homes, lavish vacations, exciting promotions, and fabulous parties.

We see this at work, too. Stories abound of new and exciting startups where everything seems to be going perfectly. But then, surprise, the company goes bankrupt and employees and investors are left scratching their heads, wondering what happened.

As leaders, we must be transparent with team members and investors about the good and the bad. Not only is his lack unfair to the people he works with, it also isolates him as a leader, making it more difficult to ask for help. By freely sharing circumstances, you build trust with a team and give yourself the opportunity to learn from each other and identify creative solutions.

Related: Why Transparency Between Teams Is So Vital to Production

How can transparency

In my company, I provide regular updates on the state of the business to my investors and, in part because I have openly shared goals achieved and setbacks, they have followed and supported me throughout. For example, my company is currently in the midst of a fundraising push, which is not my area of ​​expertise. It turns out that almost all of my investors are professional fundraisers, so I asked for their views on our efforts. I wasn’t afraid of being judged for doing it because we’ve built a foundation of trust and transparency. If I had been afraid to share something negative, I would also be afraid to ask for your advice, and our fundraising efforts would suffer.

How to start

You don’t need to share everything with all staff or board members right away. Maybe start with just one person: a close advisor or a longtime colleague. Then the next time you need it, you can be open to sharing with two people, then five, then 10, and finally the entire company. Over time, you will begin to see how valuable outside feedback and support is to your success. Of course, there may be times when you can’t be completely transparent (for legal reasons for example), but that’s the exception, not the rule.

Obstacles are table stakes on the road to success, and you’ll need a support team behind you if you’re going to face them, but you can’t build without trust, and trust can’t be built without transparency. So don’t isolate yourself. Business is full of ups and downs, and if you only share the things that are done, you will find yourself alone without much to share.

Related: Now is the time to start embracing mental health in the workplace

Take ownership of mistakes

The second key to maintaining good mental health as a leader is taking charge. When things go wrong, we often want to point the finger at someone else. However, successful leaders are those who take responsibility.

For the first company I founded, I hired a local sales team. Its members processed fake sales data to improve their numbers and had inflated egos regarding their skills. We had to fire them, and I instantly felt hostile. “They had screwed up my company”, I thought. “How could I go on?”

Finally, I realized that the fault was in mis hands. I was the one who hired them and ignored reference checks that told us this gear could be abrasive. To move forward, I had to look at this mistake and own up to it. In doing so, I’ve learned the importance of hiring people with integrity and who inspire others to work hard, and I’ve used that knowledge to build successful companies that win awards for Best Places to Work. This is a lesson that I might never have internalized if I hadn’t taken responsibility for my failure.

change your perspective

As a leader , You will make mistakes, but what matters more than the mistake itself is how you respond to it. Do you point a finger at another person? Keep it hidden and let the shame build up inside you? Or do you boldly face it, learn what you can, and move on?

The correct approach requires a change of perspective. Instead of exclaiming, “Why me?” and blame others when something goes wrong, we must turn inward and take responsibility for where we might have made a misstep or misread a situation. You You’re responsible for every step your company takes, whether it’s a new hire that doesn’t work out or a failed investment. By taking ownership, you free yourself from crippling negative thoughts and give yourself the space to grow and plan for the future. And employees will follow suit: they will see that your company is a place where mistakes can be made as long as you are willing to acknowledge and address them.

Related: Post-traumatic stress disorder in leaders is on the rise: Here’s what we can do about it

A healthy company starts with a healthy leader

When you don’t lead with transparency and ownership, you become cornered and likely to become isolated, frustrated and overwhelmed, and your mental health and the health of the company will suffer. Negative results can include higher employee turnover, lack of staff motivation and confidence in you as a leader, and worse.

If you are dealing with mental health issues right now, know that you are not alone, that countless leaders before you have shared that struggle. And solutions can start small, so consider reaching out to a trusted advisor or two about what you’re dealing with. Own up to any mistakes you may have made and don’t be afraid to put your ego aside and ask for help.

Remember: Just because you’re the leader doesn’t mean you’re impervious to adversity. You deserve support as much as anyone else, so take the necessary steps to get it.

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