Is it possible to have a healthy team while the leaders themselves are not well psychologically? mental health
This question unravels a complex scenario where a person of authority in our society, such as a leader, should not demonstrate vulnerability. We were raised to believe that when we cry, for example, we demonstrate weakness, although this is not the case. mental health
We live in a time where access to information is very fast, which is why topics such as mental health, which were not addressed in the past, are on the rise. Feelings that some had, but did not understand, can now be addressed with the correct treatments. Given this, it is a fact that this topic is delicate, even more so when related to people who “should” be strong and assertive most of the time.
To talk about this more appropriately, we interviewed organizational psychologist Luiza Murbach, which says: “We were educated to hide our shadows and today we are on a path of re-education for everyone, starting with the leaders, getting to know each other, knowing where the tension tightens, showing that you know your weaknesses is important, since in any case you will encounter these issues in the management of people, there is no way to escape. When a leader demonstrates this to his employees, this bond will naturally flow better, employees will feel free to share a situation in this regard. ”
Professional mirrors
This lack of concern and/or lack of attention to mental health is usually disguised as “I don’t have time for that”, but after all, when is there time to take care of yourself? Shouldn't it be daily? If the manager himself disdains his own well-being and quality of life, what can he expect from his subordinates?
So what would be the point of talking so little about the health of managers when, with healthy leadership and assertive positions, good performance on the part of employees will be guaranteed? "Insecurity. As I said before, we were educated not to say what we felt, to hide our problems, to leave our private life outside the door, as this was synonymous with weakness, today I see that with the insertion of emotional intelligence in the field of work, leaders They are starting to walk and become familiar with the need to talk about these issues, such as depression and anxiety at work. ” – Luiza responds.
And with the pandemic…
O burnout was also a much researched topic and the rates of this syndrome were rising due to excessive concerns about work, especially at a time when a large part of the population had to make their resting place also their work place due to the homeoffice. However, the problem itself is not even working from home, but having experienced this within a chaotic and fatal situation, has left its mark on many people.
For Murbach, we were all taken by surprise and were psychologically affected by this scenario: “I see that before the pandemic we led a much more hectic and exhausting life, always working excessively. With the pandemic and a scenario of uncertainty and insecurity, we need to adapt our work model and leaders the management model, be more understanding, look at the entire context of employees working from home, losses in the family, in addition to several other factors, many Demands related to mental health emerged at the beginning of the pandemic and during the adaptation process. ”
Big roles, big responsibilities
How managing people is a very important function, and should it be carried out by people who could at least have the chance and concern to take care of themselves mentally so that the work could be done with more ease and understanding?
There needs to be a sense of urgency in relation to taking care of the mental health of our leaders, after all we always talk so much about that of our employees, but what's the point of having paints from the best brands, if the painter is not inspired at that moment?
When talking about the impacts of management that is or is not concerned with this issue, Luiza considers: “Today we can no longer ignore mental health, if the employee is not mentally stable it will be difficult for them to achieve good results. The team will feel calmer when dealing with issues that often impact their work with leadership that takes this into account. A scenario of trust, partnership, understanding and a true bond is then created, where employees are not afraid to speak up. ”
For Internal Communication itself to be beautiful and worthwhile, everyone in the environment needs to at least be looking to be healthier. We often see the manager, and he sees himself, as just the person in charge, but the truth is that he influences the organizational environment at least 80% of the time, whether positively or negatively.
Health is health mental health
Taking care of your mental health is a decision that must be made from the inside out, as it is not an easy process. Therefore, it is important that managers recognize this need and seek help even if they already feel well. Managing people, money and projects requires an energetic charge that no human being could achieve alone, even with the highest degree of intelligence.
To begin this search for a better quality of psychic life, you can:
- Take time to rest and reconnect;
- Go in search of some physical exercise that you identify with;
- Actually look for a psychologist or psychiatrist;
- Be more sincere with your team, even to bring them closer to your reality;
- Practice your hobbies;
Going a little further than the subject, self-care in every sense is also important, scheduling exams and periodic consultations is a good example of an attitude that is not customary, especially because sometimes a psychic discomfort may be occurring in some way. insufficiency such as vitamins or hormones.
“A manager who undergoes therapy and is in the process of self-knowledge gets to know himself better, understands his emotions and feelings and inevitably replicates this to your team. It is very important to advise managers to undergo therapy, this way we will have healthier teams and increasingly understanding managers. “ – concludes Murbach.
The mental health of leaders is a very important issue that should be debated in companies!
