Leading Through Extraordinary Times – Start with Supporting the Well-being of your Team

It’s Mental Health Awareness week and recent statistics show that more than half of Canadians report their mental health has declined (CMHA). This isn’t surprising news to any of us, yet not something we wish to ignore. The good new is that leaders and managers are in a position to offer support in a way that can have a direct impact on people’s mental health and well-being, while navigating through this pandemic.

Before digging into a few key strategies that leaders can use, its useful to understand how our brains are responding to life as we currently know it. As humans, we’re wired for certainty and a sense of control. We are facing uncertainty in spades! We have no idea what is next.  When will the physical distancing restrictions be lifted? When will businesses reopen? When will we be travelling again? When will schools reopen?  Our current situation has us asking more questions than we can answer – and these unknowns are perceived as stress by the brain. As Virginia Satir said, “ People prefer the certainty of misery to  the misery of uncertainty.”

Over time, all of the uncertainty coupled with a sense of lack of control, spins us into a stress response state. This is like being on high alert, ready to fight or flee at any given moment. This response is useful should we actually need to take quick action as in an emergency situation. However, over the course of weeks and months this high alert state translates into a host of physical and mental/emotional issues including difficulty sleeping, exhaustion, anxiety and increased negative thoughts.

Part of a leader’s role is to provide proven practices during difficult times. With fears heightened, leaders are well positioned to calm the collective nervous systems of the people they work with. The following are 3 key strategies that leaders can integrate to support employee well-being.

• Communicate, communicate and communicate. Share accurate and complete information frequently. Even if you don’t have anything new to say or you don’t know the answer to something, communicate that you don’t know. Lacking information, our brains will fill in the gaps and tell ourselves more stories that can become a boatload of additional worries. As the leader, work to be the positive voice in the group, focusing on what is known and true in the workplace. This doesn’t mean you act as the exuberant cheerleader – don’t – express your concerns but don’t take your eye off of possible solutions.

• Be aware of those who might be struggling. This is the time to up your listening skills and demonstrate compassion and empathy. Let go of old judgments about whether or not you think someone ‘should be able to handle a situation.’ Everyone is dealing with multiple worries and each of us has a unique situation. As the CMHA is now saying, #GetReal in conversations. Ask people how they are really doing and ask in which ways can you best support them? Stay curious and present and remember to pick up the phone in addition to using on-line platforms.

• Integrate well-being practices and strategies. Now more than ever is the time to ensure that people have access to mental health and well-being resources. I have a client who recently told me that for the first time they have a well-resourced portal on a wide range of well-being topics such as sleep, nutrition, exercise, mental health and more. Be bold and integrate a fun well-being focused activity during your on-line meetings. Begin a call with a ‘gratitude call out’ or enjoy a group laugh with a crazy hat-themed meeting. Make time for ‘water-cooler’ chatter before and after the meeting. It’s often when the most creative thoughts are shared and it’s in these moments that we strengthen our connections to one another.

What other ideas have you implemented to support the well-being of your team while working remotely?