Happiness matters, so lead by doing.
Dr. Louise Lambert
Positive Psychology | Workplace Wellbeing Consultant | Researcher | Board Advisor | Editor, Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology | Speaker | Advocate for Wellbeing in the Built Environment
Leadership matters more than ever. We’ve seen its failures and successes the world over and we’re going to see more of it – along with its consequences – in the coming weeks and months. So, do we sit and wait or do we think of ourselves as leaders too?
While my post is aimed at managers today, it’s for all of us who are responsible for others, be they students, kids, colleagues, employees, and customers. We need to lead by example.
“I went for a walk yesterday, because I needed to clear my head.”
I’m still isolating in Al Ain, but was desperate to get out of the house and breath. I also needed a pause from social media and to be alone with my thoughts and consider how I am going to get through this myself. I went for a walk in a quiet residential area (picture above) with the birds singing as the sun was setting behind the sand dunes. A family was out having a picnic. I waved, they waved.
It was enough to remind me that life will go on and there are indeed things I can do to help (update coming in a week or so). But more than anything I realized what this picture represents: modeling of good coping.
Managers, by now you should have been in personal communication with your people on several occasions (and not relying on HR to do it for you), asking how people are doing, reassuring them, and letting them know your plan or at least that you are working on one if it’s not in place yet.
Now, you should now be modeling healthy coping and be including in those emails or video capsules you’re sending them statements like, “I went for a walk today….”. People won’t do it unless they see you do it. You’re leading a team through this; everything you do is what others will do. If you’re heading for burnout, so is everyone else. But, if you’re trying to establish a new normal, then, it won't happen on its own, get establishing.
It’s of no value to vaguely tell people to ‘take care and be safe’; show them how. Taking a walk, engaging in balcony gardening, doing push-ups in the living room during ‘WFH’ is not goofing off; it’s what is going to help us be at our best for the long haul. Now is the time for all of us to model good citizenship, human kindness, healthy mindsets, and ingenuity.
What are you modeling?
Positive Parenting | Positive Education | Digital Wellness | Meditation & Mindfulness | Happiness Science | Cognitive Science | Continuous Learning | Consistency
4 年Dear Louise, we have taken a few steps: 1. Owing to work from home & child staying at home, we have created a shared work and play space for a harmonious day of the entire family and manage work 2. Sharing continuous positive messages to everyone on social media and otherwise, recently shared Coping Calendar to my child's school, that was further circulated among the entire community (staff and parents) by the school principal. 3. A friend of mine was feeling low due to the global morbidity and social distancing, helped her, talked to her, pepped her up, and the next day she wrote a blog to express her emotions, and she is feeling much better now. We all need a little help and hope. Stay safe and healthy!
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4 年We have taken a lead position to assist SMEs and MSMEs to understand the problem and prepare. We offer free consulting for them. A simple belief of ours is is the business owners rebound faster they can make huge difference by reactivating jobs faster. Refer to my posts