By Chief Sam DiGiovanna
Throughout my career, I know I would do my best to try and please my supervisors. Some were easy to please, some – well, no matter what you did you could not please them. They were never happy or appreciative.
The “too much on the plate” syndrome can easily make one miss the opportunity to praise and acknowledge subordinates while they work hard to please.
Forbes put out this article titled “Managers Have Major Impact on Mental Health: How to Lead for Wellbeing.” I certainly see where this is applicable in public safety, as many of us miss the mark.
The article suggests that for almost 70 percent of people, their manager has more impact on their mental health than their therapist or their doctor.
I never thought of it that way, but I certainly see the truth and the need for managers, whether in the public or private sector to consider this. According to 69 percent of people, their managers had the greatest impact on their mental health, on par with the impact of their partner. And this was more than the impact of their doctor (51%) or therapist (41%).
When people have positive mental health, 63 percent say they are committed to their work and 80 percent say they’re energized.
The Leadership Role
Leaders have a critical role to play in contributing to the conditions for positive mental health—their own and others’. Here are the most impactful approaches.
Recognize Your Impact
The research also found a third of people say their manager fails to recognize their own impact on others’ wellbeing. Be aware of the leadership laser. People are influenced by everyone around them, but leaders have an outsize impact—and people tend to put leader behavior under a microscope, paying especially close attention to what leaders say and do.
Give People a Reason to Care
When people feel a connection to purpose and a bigger picture, they tend to feel better about their work as well. Remind people about the vision and mission of the organization and be clear about how their work matters.
Connect People
You can also positively impact people’s wellbeing by making sure you’re accessible and responsive. Be available, get back to people quickly and provide clarity about how and when people can reach you. When leaders are more present and accessible, it contributes to trust, positive culture and people’s sense of their importance in the organization.
Provide Challenge
One of the misunderstandings about stress is that less is more. In reality, people need a just-right, Goldilocks amount of stress. With too little challenge, people will lose motivation and burnout, just as they will with too much.
Be sure you’re giving people opportunities to learn and develop. Ask them what they want in their current roles and in their next role. Don’t assume everyone wants promotions.
Be curious about people and what uniquely motivates them—and then do your best to match their desires with work that will add value within the organization.
Staying Healthy
The best leaders take care of their own mental health, and they pay attention to their dept members as well. It’s no small thing to have so much impact on people, but it’s also not rocket science. Leaders can make big impacts by tuning in, listening and demonstrating empathy and compassion.
The Full Story https://lnkd.in/gCxZt2fg
Sam DiGiovanna is a 40-year fire service veteran. He started with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, served as Fire Chief at the Monrovia Fire Department, and currently serves as Chief at the Verdugo Fire Academy in Glendale, Calif. He also is a consultant for Lexipol www.lexipol.com