Looking after yourself and others
It’s important for leaders to be themselves, know themselves and look after themselves and others. Strong, effective and impactful leadership starts with each leader and has an outward ripple effect. If leaders are mindful about their own wellbeing, the atmosphere, culture and people around them are more likely to reflect this and feel able and supported to do this too.
Being a leader can be a lonely space to operate in. It often comes with pressure and challenges that can sometimes negatively impact on personal and professional life.
By practicing self-care, leaders can protect and improve their mental and physical wellness enabling them to continue their hard work, normalise conversations about wellbeing, foster a positive working environment and keep themselves and their teams feeling safer and happier.
It’s important for leaders and their teams to prioritise the wellbeing, health and safety and interests of others. This usually includes having and implementing policies and procedures to protect people and knowing what to do in the event of an emergency.
There’s lots of partners and resources to that can support this. Take a look at:
Wellbeing and professional development Ann Craft Trust Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) Health and Safety Executive
Reflective questions
- How do you prioritise your wellbeing and mental health? Is this visible to your teams and networks? How do you think they interpret your approach?
- Do you have wellbeing questions in reviews, meetings and regular check ins? If so, how do you act on what’s in them? If not, consider if this something you could start doing?
- How does your organisation promote workplace wellbeing, including physical activity?
- If three colleagues were picked at random and asked about your organisation’s wellbeing, safeguarding and health and safety procedures, would they know where to find them, what’s in them and where to go for support or more information?
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