This means that as a leader you need to take care of yourself first before you think of others. An analogy to an airplane emergency: always put the oxygen mask on yourself first, and then others.
The work of a leader is a constant challenge that reaches you on multiple levels: from employees, colleagues and superiors. The desire to deliver results while meeting the needs of each party often leads to significant overtime and frustration. And this is just the tip of the iceberg of the consequences of operating under constant stress.
Your impact on the organisation
Imagine living with a partner who is perpetually stressed, tired, unhappy. They chase results at all costs, sacrificing their own health and time. How would you feel in such a relationship? Would your partner’s attitude affect you? According to a Gallup Institute study cited at the Wellbeing Summit by Iwona Bobrowska-Budny, as a leader you have more influence on the health of your employees than a doctor, and your influence on the wellbeing of your team members is comparable to that of their... life partners.
This is a huge responsibility, but most of all – an opportunity. A well-adjusted leader translates into a well-adjusted organisation, just like a well-adjusted and self-aware partner translates into a valuable and good relationship. A leader’s healthy habits shape team behaviour – as many as 70% of employees copy patterns from their superiors. Thus, the health of the leader becomes crucial to the health of the entire organisation.
As Iwona Bobrowska-Budny stressed at the Wellbeing Summit, leaders are increasingly feeling overloaded, which negatively affects their health and ability to make decisions. Examples from real life, such as managers limiting their drinking of water or meals so as not to “waste” time – show how (self-)destructive leaders’ actions can be.
Challenges of a sedentary lifestyle
A sedentary lifestyle is one of the biggest health risks. During her speech, Iwona Bobrowska-Budny shared statistics showing that sitting for 11 hours a day increases the risk of premature death by as much as 40%. Studies show that after just 1.5 hours of uninterrupted sitting, the enzymes responsible for fat metabolism stop working, so sitting for hours translates not only into back pain, but also into weight gain and decreased metabolic rate.
Physical consequences are one thing. But, as Bobrowska-Budny showed, prolonged stress leads to so-called “shrinkage of consciousness” – a reduction in the ability to think creatively and make accurate decisions. Chronic stress induces changes at the neurological level: the amygdala, or the area of the brain responsible for efficient and rapid responses to danger, enlarges under excess stress, which promotes negative (and often exaggerated) reactions to stimuli.
“Shrinkage” of the mind, described by the Wellbeing Summit expert, manifests itself in an impaired ability to think clearly – you see only one possible solution to a situation and no other exists for you, you interpret events negatively (e.g. “The customer doesn’t call back? They have definitely chosen the competition!”), there are attack thoughts leading to negative emotions and inadequate actions. “People are stupid”, “people aren’t engaged”, “I have to control everything every step of the way” (micromanagement) – these thoughts are not necessarily a symptom of the team’s incompetence, but just being in a state of “shrinkage”, as Bobrowska-Budny explained.
From “doing” to “being” – the new role of the leader
The modern leader must move from “doing” to “being”, Monika Smulewicz said at the Wellbeing Summit. When promoted, leaders should not only accumulate new responsibilities, but also change the way they function – to become supporters and guides for their teams, rather than remain an existing part of the team with additional job duties.
In some cases, however, there is a lack of adequate preparation for the role – after all, leaders are often promoted for their operational performance and not necessarily for their leadership attitude toward other team members. Nevertheless, large organisations provide tools to help adequately prepare for the new role, such as talent paths, mentoring and soft skills training.
A good leader should know themselves and their limitations. Against the backdrop of a widespread feeling of loneliness – affecting as many as 40% of Poles – it is essential to take care of one’s own mental health and to be able to find balance, as the role of a leader can be particularly lonely.
Healthy habits as the foundation of wellbeing
Moving from “doing” to “being”, Smulewicz explained, requires introducing healthy habits. According to Zhen Hua Yang’s concept, there are four components crucial to health:
Healthy nutrition
(20%) – a proper diet provides the body with essential nutrients.
Physical activity
(20%) – regular exercise improves physical and mental condition.
Mindset
(20%) – the ability to cope with stress and emotions.
Proper organ function
(40%) – including regular practice of exercises such as tai chi or slow jogging, which have beneficial effects on the amygdala.
Rome wasn’t built in a day – if you feel that you lag in any of the areas mentioned above, start making changes in small steps. Taking care of yourself is not selfishness – prioritising your wellbeing affects other areas of your life: physical and mental fitness, relationships with others, and managing stress and emotions at a high level. And this translates into the ability to deliver results. Healthy hedonism is not waste, but an investment – not only in yourself, but also in your team.
The wellbeing of the leader is the wellbeing of the team
The wellbeing of the leader translates into the functioning of the entire team. When a leader is rested and focused, they better manage the team, make sound decisions and create a cooperative environment. The key is to understand that taking care of oneself is not a luxury but a necessity to continue climbing the career ladder. Only in the face of health problems do many leaders begin to recognise the need for lifestyle changes. But making small changes now can prevent job burnout and improve quality of life.
Where to start? Analyse your current level of wellbeing with available tools, such as the Wellbeing Score, then step by step start implementing changes in areas that require it. Treat building new habits and taking care of yourself as a priority and a regular part of your day, not a task you will only complete once you have dealt with other challenges. If optimising your new week’s schedule is going to be a challenge for you, reach for a personalised AI assistant that will help you put all the pieces together based on the information you provide. Also use the services of professionals – working with a personal trainer, dietitian, coach or psychologist will help bring your wellbeing to a completely different level, reducing the tension you feel at work.
Summary
Believe it or not, but your wellbeing translates into success not only for the organisation, but also for yourself. Introducing healthy habits, developing social skills and being aware of one’s own limitations are key to better management these days. Don’t skip taking care of yourself in the daily work-home rush. After all, a healthy leader is a healthy organisation, and concern for wellbeing is an investment that pays off on many levels.
Source:
Wellbeing Summit 2024
