Feb 24th, 2022
Business Insights
Quality of Life
Written by: Craig Vosper, Chief Delivery Officer
The last 2 years have brought unprecedented uncertainty to all our lives, significantly increasing the stress and anxiety we are all under, and greatly influencing how we interact and collaborate with each other at work. As leaders we concentrate on how our teams perform but we also need to focus on their quality of life, especially in times like these.
This means understanding our employees well enough to know how to help them through tough times. For myself, I like leadership to provide me with clear goals for success and then get out of my way to let me and my team accomplish those goals. Having this latitude at work helps me cope with and manage whatever changes or stressors enter my environment.
A second element that is important to me is knowing that I have the freedom to make mistakes (even if that means I take some flak for a while). Without the fear of failure at the back of my mind, I become more willing to try new methods of problem solving and in turn become more effective.
The final element of significance to me is the creation of an environment where asking for help is celebrated and not berated. Knowing that others are there to help solve a problem provides a huge lift in confidence that we are fully prepared to address any issues that might arise as a team.
As leaders, we must realize that others may need different support mechanisms. Maybe they need more direction, maybe they need more support in formulating their plans, maybe they need some additional time. Being a leader means that you understand the needs of your team members and don’t always implement a singular solution.
While it feels like we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel, I would have said the same thing a year ago! Whether this craziness continues or not, we should begin now as leaders to create an environment that will help our employees deal with whatever stressors arrive. In doing so, we can assist them in maximizing both their work and personal lives!