Mindset Matters: 3 Principles Business Leaders Need To Know Now!

This week serves as the first anniversary of George Floyd’s death and a new chapter in the fight for the battle against coronavirus with now 50% of Americans fully vaccinated. As we mark these milestones it serves as a reminder of how far we still need to go and just how much healing still needs to take place. It is at this time that true corporate leadership requires the aptitude to become familiar with the significance of trauma and the impression it will have on the social, cultural, and economic impact of a nation for years ahead. It is time for leadership to realize that the parlance of trauma is not only essential for healing but vital in establishing innovative strategies surrounding mental health and invisible disabilities that shape the very framework for the future of work in the century ahead.

Trauma is not something that has been considered vital to the lexicon of business, yet as we begin to turn the corner in the pandemic and reassess areas of race and social justice through the larger canvas of diversity and inclusion organizations will be faced with the residual challenges brought on by elements of invisible disabilities from stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and more that impact the very fabric of the daily flow of business life. So how do business leaders begin to navigate these waters and integrate critical trauma solutions into their business strategy? 

The workplace of the future is fraught with new challenges and business leaders must realize that they need to be agile and flexible to embrace the forthcoming circumstances head-on. But just as important C-level executives and senior management should recognize the vulnerabilities of their business in its current state. Trauma has spent the last year and a half affecting the very temperament of every nook and cranny of our business lives so finding effective solutions is paramount. Let us begin by looking at three critical principles that business leaders can use today to both manage trauma and achieve an effective method to integrate those with invisible disabilities into everyday working life. 

One

Businesses have a responsibility to advance and grow. As part of that process, they must detach themselves from the ‘old style’ of thinking of who they were in a pre-pandemic world and revaluate who they want to become. At this moment organizations should focus on human-centered concepts of work where both reskilling and upskilling play an essential role in the process. By making employees active participants in the very practice of growth it connects the needs of executives and employees to the mechanics of this new work environment. Through focusing their attention on what the future of the business can look like the process creates a definitive pathway towards healing and a renewed sense of commitment. This only increases the prospective long-term value of the organization.

Two

The second principle for businesses to work through is to see the lens of trauma as a solution for exploring the very nature of the workplace itself. Over the last year and a half, the environment of where we work, when we work, and how we work has been going through a transformational moment. Remote work has had some tremendous success within the corporate milieu, yet there is a flipside that needs to be further examined causing concerns due to an increased sense of isolation, anxiety, stress, and confusion about a steady work-life balance. To deal with the emergence of various invisible disabilities the solution is to engage in workplace design strategies that focus on the imminent hybrid model of work. By taking part in this process leadership can actively participate in issues of inclusion, equity, and possess a greater understanding of the value of mental health and wellbeing and its connection to business outcomes. Needs analysis and discovery sessions should become more the norm as organizations make the turn in revaluating workplace culture.

Three   

Corporate leaders are the captain of their ships, they are the ones that set the precedent in developing a response to trauma and integrating mental health and wellbeing strategies as part of the normative life of business culture. It is critically important that they engage in this process for themselves. Through the year they have had to navigate numerous challenges, and they must evaluate their own needs mentally and physically. Just like their organization, they must be open and agile and be prepared for the shock of the new. Engaging in aspects of self-care from executive coaching to psychotherapy can be a valuable business decision to help them process, evaluate, and reflect on their struggles while finding greater solutions for themselves and ultimately for their business.

These recommendations are given because leadership is faced with huge challenges, and it is important to have a framework to work with that can provide a pathway for both individual and organizational growth. It is this marriage that is essential to find innovative alternatives and turn the page to generate real progress.






Source: Forbes
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