Since the beginning of this year, I have been talking about what it takes to build resilient employees. Today’s tip – as a leader, be a role model for healthy practices.
Be a role model for healthy practices
You are a role model. Whether you want it, whether you like it, whether you realize it or not, people are watching you. They’re watching you! And how you behave and act sets the standard for how your employees behave and act. So if you want resilient employees, you better demonstrate that you are a resilient leader … by behaving and acting in ways that build resiliency. Not necessarily all the time, we all have bad days, but MOST of the time.
We know that resilient employees and leaders come by their strengths from three areas – physical, mental and emotional. Are you modeling positive physical, intellectual and emotional behaviours?
Physical, mental and emotional behaviours are all important
On the physical front, are you exercising, eating healthfully, and sleeping well? If you’re constantly talking about how you’re missing exercise class or not getting enough sleep, or even worse, your staff see you skipping meals and eating junk food, then you’re not being a positive role model.
In the intellectual department, are you demonstrating that you believe in continuous learning? Are you setting goals individually and jointly with your staff? Do your people see you reaching out to mentors to build your knowledge and skills? Your staff are watching you, and if you’re telling them to do one thing, but doing another, then your messages aren’t synchronized.
The emotional category is the one that is probably the most important of the three to be a positive role model for. Are your staff seeing you get stressed on a daily basis? Working late, sending email at odd hours of the night, and losing your cool at work? If you want resilient employees, then it’s important that you model the behaviours you desire. Encourage them to leave on time, and you do the same. Keep your temper in check, and expect the same from them. Show them that despite daily challenges, it is possible to be grateful for small successes.
If you’re already doing a few of these, then bravo – you are a positive role model for healthy practices. But if you’re not, make it a point to set a good example by committing to doing one or two of the items suggested above.
So I’m curious. Are you being a positive role model for healthy practices? C’mon, be honest! And if you are, share one tip to help everyone else. Please comment below.