Written by: Alana Rabby Dowling, Guest Writer Brainz Magazine
One thing every great and successful team needs is a good leader. Someone to guide the way toward goals, pull team members together, and foster a shared sense of purpose. Often people believe managing, directing, and supervising are synonymous with being a leader. Although leading can include these things, it is not ONLY these things. Too often, people in leadership positions get so caught up in the pressure to perform, meet sales goals, prove themselves, and innovate that they end up forgetting the most important part of the job- leading. If we micromanage, supervise, and direct, but don't lead our people burn out.
Burnout is described by the Mayo Clinic as “a special type of work-related stress — a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.” In environments where leadership is missing, and burnout is high, there is reduced efficiency and productivity, high turnover, and a general feeling of unhappiness in the workplace. People just don’t want to come to work, and have less energy, when they don’t feel like they have a leader they connect with who cares about them as people.
If you are in a leadership position, it is likely you went into it with good intentions and a desire to do right by your team members. Your intention is likely to treat employees well, and create an atmosphere that is enjoyable and productive. It is easy to miss the mark and slip into directing and micromanaging. Especially in high-stress environments, leaders can miss important skills and practices that make a difference in how team members feel. It is important for leaders to routinely check in and make sure they are not unintentionally leading their teams toward burnout and ultimately, another employer.
How can you check if you are leading or leaving your people behind? Here are some keys to identify if you are leading:
Do you trust your people?
There are always rules and expectations in a workplace. There are also consequences for not following rules and expectations. Mature, professional adults are capable of understanding this. When employees are treated like children, helicoptered over, and micromanaged, they are less likely to want to go above expectations, or enjoy their jobs. Trust in a workplace fosters a sense of accomplishment and pride. It also genuinely feels better to be trusted to do the job you were hired for and presumably have the credentials and experience for. Don’t you feel better when people trust you? Share your expectations, goals, and requirements and then give your team some space to rise to the occasion.
Are expectations clear but reasonably flexible?
People cannot meet expectations if they don’t know them. Make them clear from the beginning, and communicate them from time to time in staff meetings or memos. Avoid making threats, or admonishing people however, as this can cause hostility in the work environment. A simple annual or biannual review to keep everyone on the same team is good. Also, remember that you are leading people, not robots, so there needs to be some flexibility, and not just for physical injuries or limitations. If an employee comes to you with life stress, or mental health concerns, adjust expectations to support them through it and when they are on the other side, they are more likely to go above expectations as a show of gratitude and loyalty for your support.
Do you support mental wellness?
Creating an environment that supports taking your breaks, or at least connecting with colleagues for short periods throughout the workday improves workplace atmospheres. Regular opportunities for team building, team mental health and stress check-ins, and just socializing help build a feeling of connectedness, and when we feel connected to our team and leader, we naturally want to support that team. It is also important to have regular check-ins individually with your team members to provide feedback and positive comments on performance, check in around their mental health, and even just ask them how life outside of work is. When people feel like more than a cog in a wheel, they are mentally more balanced and emotionally more positive in general.
Do you welcome and encourage feedback?
This one is a big one. It is one thing to say that you welcome feedback, and another thing altogether to actually do it. If team members have problems with plans, policies, workload, processes, etc. it is important to hear them out. You may not be able to make all the changes they believe are necessary but often our team members on the ground find out in real time how something works, or doesn’t. If they feel heard and validated, and know you will at least take it into consideration and look into it, frustration is lower and you are more likely to hear some pretty innovative ideas. There is also the possibility that team members have feedback around how you are doing as a leader and how you could do better. Anonymous surveys are a good way to get this feedback in a non-threatening way, followed by a meeting to discuss how you plan to use the feedback to improve lets your team know that you don’t take it personally, and actually want to be a good leader. Managers, directors, and supervisors who take feedback personally or do nothing with it often create an environment where employees no longer care about sharing their ideas because they feel like they don’t matter anyway. This will lead to bigger problems down the road. Better to put your ego aside and tackle things while they are smaller.
Do you take responsibility for creating an environment that feels safe and welcoming for all your people?
An inclusive environment is important when leading. Not just complying with human rights legislation, or towing the lines to avoid getting in trouble for harassment but truly being safe, welcoming and inclusive. Consider the different backgrounds on your team. Don’t just put up Christmas decorations in the office if you have team members that celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Solstice. Ensure staff events are accessible for all team members and take into account any disabilities, religious or cultural needs (for instance having gatherings on a main floor or a building with an elevator, or having non-pork food options). Put up signage, décor, and other items that represent your diverse team and let them know that you see and acknowledge them.
Do you have an open door and open mind.
You might not be able to sit in your office all day every day waiting for someone to stop in to talk to you. You can, however, set some office times where you will be available, or provide an opportunity for people to see your schedule or send you an email to book a time if they need to talk. Being there so your team can check in about expectations, ask questions, or even vent about a hard day make a big difference. Being empathic and open-minded about their perspective helps people feel heard and respected, and often, that’s all they really need. It doesn’t have to take up your whole day, but the more you are available and the safer people feel with you, the more likely they are to come to you with problems when they are small, admit when they have made mistakes so they can be corrected, and feel like they matter.
This might all sound like a lot, and in some ways, it is. You have a responsibility as a leader to juggle your needs, the needs of your business, and your team members. You will need a good self-care plan and support team to make sure you also don’t burn out. It will be easier at times than others, and it will take some time to find your flow, but is ultimately comes down to empathy and seeing your team as people. Once you do that, you are leading, and where real leaders go, others follow.
Alana Rabby Dowling, Guest Writer Brainz Magazine
Alana is a Canada-based Registered Social Worker, Usui Reiki Healer and Owner of her own counselling practice, Lunar Light Counselling and Healing Arts. Through her own journey of healing from trauma and rediscovering herself, as well as raising children as they navigate ADHD, anxiety, gender identity, and the stress of COVID-19, Alana has held onto empathy and humour to give her strength, and shares these gifts with others. Alana is passionate about supporting holistic well-being, and walking alongside individuals as they navigate healing, self-discovery, and strengthening boundaries in personal and professional relationships.
