August Assessment

July is a wrap, and August is here. This month we celebrate Barack Obama’s birthday, International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, Women’s Equality Day, and more.

Some of us have had the privilege to vacation and travel and due to our virtual world, we may have blended these activities together. Each day my thoughts turn to how I can be the best leader and business owner.

One of my favorite authors and dynamic coaches, Rachel Rogers, reminded me recently about momentum and by definition it is mass in motion. To accomplish our goals, we need to get in motion. This can be difficult when we are bombarded every day with bad news, setbacks, challenges, and seemingly impossible odds to overcome. No matter what type of work you do, you are expected to stay on track. At the same time, we must take care of ourselves, our mental, physical, and emotional health.

The causes of stress are many — personal or family problems, and work-related stress such as losing hours, difficult managers, job insecurity or juggling work/life balance. While employers are somewhat limited in helping employees with nonwork-related stress, they can help employees reduce or better manage stress on the job.

As a leader (if you are reading this, you are a leader) you have unique challenges in keeping up with the demands of your job, being responsible for managing employee conflicts and offering tools for employee wellness. You need to make effective decisions quickly based on best practices, and handle the unpredictable day-to-day surprises with confidence. Here are some best practices you can put into place as we march into August:

Put your oxygen mask on first – Understanding that we cannot help anyone unless we help ourselves does not only apply when we are flying.
Know your resources – Make a list of benefits and tools that you have access to. What benefits does your company offer, such as an employee assistance plan (EAP). Do you have access to free counseling or legal services that can help you sort out some of life’s issues?
Practice regular one-on-ones – Two-way communication is beneficial not only for your direct reports but for you. Understanding what is expected of you, whether assumed or implied, can mitigate stress and anxiety. Communicating your expectations to your employees will only strengthen relationships and performance.
Conduct an inclusion inventory – How is equity showing up in your life? Are you feeling included? Are you feeling heard and seen? What biases are playing out in your day that you need to address?
Get to know your HR person/team – Regardless of your personal opinions about your HR person/team, they have information you need. Think about those things that you are trying to accomplish in your current role and then reach out to your HR contact to talk through what they can do to strengthen the organization’s greatest resource – You! If you don’t have an HR person, well, you know what to do.

These best practices will quickly become habits that will change your life and support the momentum you want and need to be successful both professionally and personally.

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