The Power of The Mind

When it comes to our careers and personal leadership journeys, there are numerous ways to seek information and advice. However, I find that one of the most effective methods is to examine the paths that others have taken and gain insight from their experiences. A favoured question on the After Dinner Leadership podcast is “What three leadership lessons do you wish you had learnt earlier” Each response is unique and personal but there are certainly trends and themes in the responses we receive.

 

In episode 9 of the show, Simon sat down with Graham Harle, and they discuss the leadership lessons he wished he learnt earlier in his career and the importance of addressing mental health in the workplace and the value of being a visible and inspirational leader. Graham shared how the COVID pandemic has helped him to remember his priorities in life. When asked this question Graham responded with three profound lessons that he wished he learnt earlier in his career:

 

1.    You need to be decisive.

2.    Never forget your support structure e.g., Family and Friends

3.    Understand your Priorities in life.

 

When speaking about the sensitive subject of Mental Health, Graham shared with us the role that he takes on as a leader of a company with over 2000 employees, Graham shared that he sees the need to be inspirational and to gift his employees with “positivity and an air of calm. He said that it is important for leaders to not only be inspirational but also to be visible and communicative when going through something hard as an organisation or individually.

 

Being positive as a leader can spark the inspiration needed for employees to feel excited and energised in their work. Leaders can focus on what employees can do, rather than what they can't. It is important to work together and involve people in finding solutions as much as possible. As leaders, we can remember people are often the expert when it comes to identifying the support or adjustment they need and how to manage their triggers for poor mental health.

For many of us, work is a significant part of our lives. It is where we spend much of our time, where we get our income and often where we make our friends. Having a fulfilling job can be good for your mental health and general well-being. We all have times when life gets on top of us – sometimes that’s work-related, like deadlines or travel. Sometimes it’s something else – our health, our relationships, or our circumstances.

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The value added to the economy by people who are at work and have or have had mental health problems is as high as £225 billion per year, which represents 12.1% of the UK’s total GDP. (Mental Health Foundation, 2016)

It’s vital that we protect that value by addressing mental health at work for those with existing issues, for those at risk, and for the workforce. A toxic work environment can be corrosive to our mental health.

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As leaders, we may ask ourselves what it is we can do to aid and support the mental well-being of our employees. We can focus on creating and sustaining workplaces where everyone can thrive. Good mental health at work and good management go hand in hand and there is strong evidence that workplaces with high levels of mental wellbeing are more productive. Addressing well-being at work increases productivity by as much as 12%. (Oswald, A.J., Proto, E., & Sgroi, D. 2015)

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So, there are things we can do to help and support. As shared in this episode of the After Dinner Leadership Podcast, one positive that has come from the Covid-19 Pandemic is the realisation that it is okay to talk about mental well-being in the workplace.

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As leaders, what are you doing to support and strengthen the mental well-being of your employees?

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