Hey, we all know it’s a tough, challenging time in business for everyone, but the pressure is particularly on for managers—no joke.
A successful manager’s role is hard work and not for the faint-hearted.
Senior management and employees squeeze managers to overstress and exhaustion with their expectations.
Statistics tell the tale. On one side: your company is looking for its managers to drive profitability and corporate growth through strategy, organizing, leading, and controlling. Pretty high ambitions, right!?
At the same time, 83 percent of businesses say it’s crucial to develop leaders at all levels. Yet less than 5 percent of companies have implemented leadership development across all levels.
On the other side of the equation: GoodHire found that 82 percent of the workers surveyed would consider leaving because of a bad boss. And Gallup says 57 percent of why people quit their company comes down to managers.
And I’ve got to tell you this, the employee side of the business relies on your emotional intelligence… your ability to connect and inspire others to strive for better results.
So, you are expected to keep the tactical side of the business running, and you’re required to switch hats to excel at the softer side. It’s about generating a work environment of psychological safety.
While expectations in the soft skill attributes are expanding, a survey by Interact found that 69 percent of managers are often uncomfortable communicating with employees, and 37 percent said they’re uncomfortable having to give direct feedback about employee performance.
What are your employees and companies looking for from you as a manager as you interact with the workforce?
- Trust: Research has shown that high-trust organizations’ total return to shareholders (stock price plus dividends) is 286 percent higher than low-trust organizations.
- Coaching: Bersin & Associates established that organizations with senior leaders who coach effectively and frequently improve their business results by 21 percent compared to those who never coach.
- Empathy: A Fortune article reported… employees nearly unanimously agree on the importance of empathy, yet 92 percent feel it remains undervalued.
- Communication: A McKinsey report indicates that well-connected teams with effective communication see a 20 to 25 percent productivity increase. Additionally, these teams experience higher levels of retention.
- Acknowledge: HubSpot says that 69 percent of employees will work harder when they feel better appreciated. Forbes writes that employees who feel their voice is heard are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to perform their best work.
- Feedback: Research shows that only 1 percent of employees who receive positive, constructive feedback report being actively disengaged, compared to 40 percent of those who didn’t receive feedback.
That’s a heck of a lot of feelings you’re expending as a manager. But are there any measures taken to revitalize you, the manager? We all know that you can’t forever take out of your emotional bank account without something giving.
What’s a manager to do?
When faced with chaotic disruption in the skies, remember the airline instruction? “First, put your air mask on before helping others.”
This principle is as apropos in the office as when facing disruption at 36,000 feet in the air for two reasons:
- You’re considered the role model in the organization. If you’re not taking care of yourself, it has others thinking sucking themselves dry is the name of the game.
- And if you aren’t resupplying yourself, there’s nothing left over to contribute to your employee’s success.
What are you going to do about all the emotional drain you experience because you know you’re the only one who can resolve this issue?
You initiate self-care by the emotional state you establish daily for yourself. And it’s strengthened as you make decisions to breed emotional regenerative habits. Explore these three areas before expanding your self-supporting attention.
- Start The Morning Off Right:
- With meditation or
- Prayer or
- Exercise or
- What?
- During Your Work Day:
- Setting the alarm every 90-minutes to walk away from what you’re doing to maximize your energy.
- Keep Your Day Aligned:
- Intentionally bringing fun and laughter in—professionally and personally—produces clarity of mind and reduces stress.
Know that self-renewal is your responsibility. You’ve begun the journey now. Start augmenting your list of energy refreshers you want to incorporate into your daily activities. Your attention in this area will keep you emotionally thriving to be all you need and intend to be for your people!
Related: 5 Transformative Meeting Ideas That Will Make Your Day
[i] https://www.apollotechnical.com/leadership-statistics/