Leading through exhaustion
And so, we seem to be back. Have the holidays worked for you? I truly hope so. Investing in recovery and in quality time spent not working at all and just existing outside of all connection devices. That's pure gold!
On this edition of our Boundmakers Review we are focusing on the role of leadership in promoting health and wellbeing at work, but we dare to consider more than the obvious lens in which managers could be considered almost accountable and responsible for everything relating to their team health and wellbeing outcomes. As such, we dare to acknowledge?their current need for health literacy, competence and support. Since, they are exhausted and at risk too.?
When looking to foster a culture of health, as with other organisational change processes, we tend to consider one-sided perspectives and one-fits-all solutions that proved time and again their big limitations to achieve sustained change in the work environment and culture.?
Leaders need solutions, processes and tools in order to be able to support and build a healthy workplace with their team. We can not apply the "hero complex" to health and wellbeing at work, since it's not just about grit and inspirational leadership.
In our practice in these last 8 months we have helped and coached many managers navigating a very complex and not at all healthy work environment, despite increased effort of their organisations and a boosted budget directed to health and wellbeing programs and benefits. Why are then people and teams not feeling better? Why are they resigning or quiet quitting? Perhaps we just need to acknowledge that the core organisational work systems and processes haven't significantly changed despite we try to portray it otherwise.?
In this edition of our review?we invite you to read our blog post dedicated to "Leaders: How exhausted are you?". If you would like to dig deep on organisational health?and understand how to build it from within we strongly recommend Patrick Lencioni book "The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else In Business".?And finally?we invite you to be inspired by a great talk by Simon Sinek about leaders?and how they can radically build psychological safety for their teams.?
Do take part in this conversation by leaving a comment on our blog?or replying to [email protected]?
Managing Partner Bound.Health