Three months ago I received a question from CEO of an international company. "One of my managers is about to fall over, how can I prevent this? First, we really offer all kinds of things in terms of wellbeing. And when I call him on it, he says in advance that things are going well," said the CEO.
There appeared to be little personal contact between the CEO and his colleague anyway, so the CEO's spontaneous interest in his colleague's mental well-being seemed more like an attack, rather than genuine compassion. The CEO himself did express the feeling that he was always available to his colleagues. Unfortunately, this situation is not unique.
Recent research from Deloitte shows that executives often overestimate the mental health of their colleagues. The main reason: everyone is too busy with themselves and their own results to focus on the other person.
Only 56 percent of employees feel that leadership cares about their well-being. While 91 percent of those leaders actually do think their people believe they care about their well-being.
Despite 89 percent of employers and 75 percent of employees saying that increasing their own vitality is essential, little is happening yet. This is because of a number of issues.
The biggest challenge: too much workload and therefore no time. If space is then made at all for the mental well-being of colleagues, it often becomes badly used.
But worse; the lack of example from leadership. Because even if the leadership is convinced of the need, if they themselves don't lead by example, their people won't go along with it. People don't do what you say, they do what you do.
Example
I myself am a big fan of the work of American management guru Patrick Lencioni. His books are written as stories and therefore read (or listen) away very easily.
While most of his books are about leadership and management skills, he states the same target audience in his book The Motive precisely whether they aspire to such a role model at all.
De rol van directie zou volgens Lencioni dan ook veel meer een leidende rol moeten zijn in plaats van de lijdende rol die je nu vaak ziet. Leiderschap wordt hierbij gekenmerkt door ‘tergende vergaderingen, zeurende collega’s en afleiding van de daadwerkelijke business’.
While the leading role of management is precisely about being in constant dialogue with your colleagues, transferring responsibility, coaching leadership and leading by example. So also in terms of your own wellbeing and how you handle the workload. But more importantly, how you show that within the organization.
Close to the shop floor
The solution may be easier than thought: showing yourself that wellbeing important to you is a first, powerful step. Beautiful examples abound: the director of Equinix, the world's largest data center, often presents himself in the most impossible yoga postures.
You are also more likely to see serial entrepreneur Richard Brandson passing by on a kiteboard than in a suit. In doing so, he has made legions of other CEOs inspired. These kinds of expressions already immediately give a more vital impression of the organization. But it can also be done closer to the shop floor. Indeed; the closer, the better.
From research It turns out, and we see this ourselves time and again at the companies we work with, that where management visibly takes the lead, shows itself how it deals with the workload and dares to be vulnerable in this:
- there is higher participation by their employees in vitality initiatives.
- employees are more enthusiastic about their organization.
- and that these companies more successful are when it comes to business results.
The aforementioned CEO also eventually chose to invite his colleague for a walk-through. It turned out to be a confrontational conversation that eventually lasted 2.5 hours, but did result in a new, more positive direction in the cooperation between the CEO and the manager. So a very nice, first win.
Now let's hope the manager transfers the good example to his own team as well.
