Marketing
Mindful Leadership : Supporting Mental Well-being At Work
By Kehinde Ruth Onasoga
Who said having a career would be easy ? However , working in an office with lots of pressure and tight deadlines assuredly takes the cake . It affects everyone , from the ogas to the employees . But there are fundamental things in making sure people do their best work and this is where acknowledging the importance of mental health comes in and the roles we play as leaders in being empathetic .
Mental well-being is not agnostic to just the employees , dare I say but to leaders as well . That said , if leaders are yet to experience the constraints that this silent health issue brings , they may be unable to address it . Mindful leaders understand this and work hard to make sure everyone feels cared for , starting from the top down .
Understanding the Leadership Role
Being a leader goes beyond getting the job done no matter what . This used to be my thought pattern , boy was I wrong . You can achieve your goals and make money for the company while also taking into account the mental health of your team . Mindful leaders know that expectations from their team can affect how they perform .
I am of the firm belief that exceptional leaders create other exceptional leaders in how they lead . One driver of this leadership style focuses not just on getting work done but a balancing act on how the team is doing mentally . For example , if a once top-performing team member starts missing deadlines , it could be due to personal issues or difficulties adjusting to a new role .
Creating a safe space for communication allows leaders to address challenges early , preventing negative impacts on performance and team morale .
Creating a Supportive Environment
Mindful leaders should talk about mental health openly , so people don ' t feel embarrassed speaking about it . Ways in which this can occur can be in general team meetings or during one-on-one discussions with each member of the team . My company , Pandora Agency Ltd , prioritizes mental health and well-being , during our weekly leadership training programs we address topics on mental health , and leaders guide the conversation with colleagues on mindfulness and understanding the role emotions play in the work we do as creatives , this encourages each team member to speak up without being nagged to do so . And where we see the need to bring in experts to address some intricate topics as they concern mental health and well-being we do so . What we have found is that the resultant effect is a more conducive work environment which further helps the team be more creative and work better which in turn boosts the bottom line .
Leadership by Example
In supporting mental health in the workplace , Mindful Leaders can also show by doing . A recent example comes to mind , at the Agency , we noticed the Monday blues employees displayed at the start of the new week and one way we could address this was to encourage staff members to shut off over the weekends prioritizing personal time over work . This to a large extent helped . Some members of the team returned refreshed at the start of a new week . And while at work , we try to make the work process fun , taking short breaks to carry out unrelated work activities . Another way to approach this can be starting off the weekly meeting by not going straight into the agenda of the meeting but by having each individual speak on how their weekend was and if there are underlying issues bothering anyone . Doing any of this shows empathy without needing to say or do much , it also conveys that taking care of our mental health is important , and not one to be ashamed of .
Inclusive Decision-Making
I find that people like being part of the decision-making process , whether big or small . After a year of working from home as a result of economic uncertainties , it was time to resume back to the office . Employees were now comfortable working fully remotely , so this decision was one to heavily consider , we made sure to ask everyone how they felt about it and if they had any worries . This made everyone feel included in decisions and helped them understand why things were changing . Ultimately it is not just about the company ; it ' s about making things better for everyone as this can affect a number of other things later on .
Being a mindful leader means more than just making a good profit each year . It ' s about showing empathy . When leaders are empathetic , their colleagues feel motivated to put in the work for the company ' s success . So , mindful leadership shouldn ' t just be a plan ; but a deliberate act that prioritizes mental health as much as turning a profit .
Kehinde Ruth Onasoga is the Principal Consultant , Pandora Agency Limited . You can commune with her on this or related matters via email at : Kro @ pandoraagency . co .
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