Imagine for a moment that you’re in the office, and your boss seems down. They walk through the door looking distraught, are distracted during meetings, and don’t make eye contact with you or others. They seem to be carrying around a weight on their shoulders. Would this affect how you work?
It’s not too hard to understand that it could – when someone is feeling this way, they’re more likely to take out their frustration (and their mood) on those around them. And if every day your boss is walking in with a negative attitude, that can have a big impact on your own productivity as well.
In this article, we’re talking about the impact a leader’s presence can have on their colleagues, teams, and minor changes you can make to overcome them.
Just How Important is a Leader’s Mood?
Leadership communicator and coach, Bruna Martinuzzi stated, “A leader creates the environment that determines people’s moods at the office and their mood, in turn, affects their productivity and level of engagement.” and we couldn’t agree more!
A leader’s mood has the power to make or break your department, and frankly, your entire business. Persistent low morale from the top leads to higher rates of employee turnover, poor rates of productivity, and poorer rates of customer engagement, all of which leads to spending more money to keep the company afloat.
If you’re a leader in any capacity, ask yourself if you’ve experienced any of these 3 things in the last 30 days:
- Have I experienced recurring feelings of low energy?
- Have I experienced any feelings of persistent anxiety or doubt?
- Have I been unhappy in an area of my personal or professional life that may have affected my mood at work?
If you answered yes to any of the questions, understand that if you’re feeling them, others around you probably are as well.
How Leaders can Overcome These Challenges
No matter what industry you work in, it’s likely that you’ve experienced challenges in your career or your personal life. Whether it’s a challenging project, a difficult customer, or simply a bad day, we’ve all had our work day thrown off course.
The added pressure of being in a leadership position while also managing our own issues can feel overwhelming, so how do you remain present when you’re having a tough time? Here are a few tips:
Take a moment to breathe
If you find yourself anxious, distracted, or upset for any reason, step away. If you can, close your eyes and take a deep breath. Getting reconnected to your breath is not only grounding, but it also helps to recenter you.
Remember: it’s easier to problem solve from a calm state than when you’re upset.
Schedule breaks!
Burnout is real and if you’ve been burning your candle at both ends, you’ve definitely experienced it.
Schedule breaks at work but also schedule your time off, and don’t neglect time with your friends and family. So often leaders feel projects, deadlines, and goals will fall apart if they take time off, but with a well-trained team, that’s rarely the case. Will they do everything perfectly at all times? Maybe not, but the house won’t burn down either.
Finally, don’t neglect the relationships you have with your friends and family. The relationships you have outside of work are often the ones that will sustain you through life’s challenges and also provide a much needed fresh perspective.
Conclusion
No matter if you’re struggling with a bad meeting, a bad day, or overall burnout, being aware of how your mood affects your team, and ultimately, your business, is an essential skill for every leader to master.
Taking time to check in and recenter yourself, as well as prioritizing time away from work is essential to ensure you can remain present, productive, positive, and happy with those around you, and most importantly, yourself.