“A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference.”
— Winnie the Pooh
The past Tuesday, October 10th, was Mental Health Awareness Day. What a week we just experienced. I want to offer a virtual hug to all those suffering and living with fear.
Regular care for our mental and emotional well being is critically important to the long-term health and happiness of all humans.
As much as nutrition, exercise, and sleep matter (and they do an awful lot), I believe that without emotional wellbeing we may never fully experience a meaningful, purpose-driven life.
Here are some thoughts on how each of us can enhance emotional wellbeing in the workplace.
- Invest time in developing people. For their long-term success beyond the current role or company. Inquire about their purpose and what motivates them. Connect the activities of their daily job and their growth plan to that purpose.
- Make work less transactional and more relational. Encourage small talk. Ask people how they are. Find out more about their joys and challenges outside of work (to the extent they want to share). Remember birthdays.
- Follow the ‘Golden Rule’. Treat others as you would like your bosses to treat you.
- Model good behavior. Particularly around setting and honoring boundaries between work and life. As a leader, your team looks to you to set the standards for them to follow.
- Share the positives. Talk about what went well. Thank others publicly for their efforts. Don’t sugarcoat or be fake, but also remember that there are always small wins worth celebrating.
- Offer help to others. Be a teacher (you have skills that got you this far) or simply a listener to someone who needs to brainstorm an idea or talk through a problem.
Do these things not because they will get you a promotion (although they might help in a review process), but because they matter to you. Do your best to treat people and your interactions with them as an end in themselves and not primarily as a means to another end. Be the change you want to see in the world.
