Wellness and Leadership: Setting a Strong Example as a Business Owner

Picture it: deadlines are looming, your to-do list is getting longer and longer, and you’re just trying to hold things together. It’s not a permanent state (at least, it shouldn’t be), but it does happen. When you’re the owner, the ultimate responsibility stops with you. It’s how you react that matters, especially when it comes to setting the example for your team.

That’s the ultimate questions: how do you react? Do you power through to the point that you forget to eat and wake up randomly throughout the night? (Been there.) Or do you set some boundaries, figure out how to best delegate to your team, and pivot when needed?

Of course, we all want to say that we embody the second option – but in reality, that “power through and deal with it later” cycle sneaks up on most of us at one point or another. And while it’s one of the quickest ways to throw you off track, it will also affect your team in some pretty significant ways.

This is because as the owner and CEO, you not only make the logistical decisions that impact your business, you also set the standard for your team. Of course, they know you’re human and don’t expect you to be perfect, but if your team consistently sees you burning the candle at both ends, that’s the example they’re likely to follow.

Eventually, this will lead to either poor execution or burnout – or both.

There are ways to avoid this, though!

Set Clear Boundaries

The first step to prioritizing your own wellness and setting a strong example for your team is learning to set clear boundaries in various areas of your life. This doesn’t have to be a complicated or difficult process, but it does take intentional action.

One of my strongest tips is to not try to do it all yourself. If you have a team, bring them in and get their help! (And if you don’t yet have a team – or need to expand – let me know. My team and I can help!)

First, make sure to involve your Executive Assistant. This is the person whose job it is to keep you track, guard your time, and help you communicate with your team. Yes, you’ll still need to do some of it yourself, but your EA is an invaluable resource. Use this superstar!

Then, bring your leadership team in. Be very clear with them about what you need and why and get them on board with not only taking whatever they can off your plate, but also with joining you in setting a strong example for your team.

One important point to consider: your leadership team is essential in so many ways, but they’re also the people that are most likely to drive themselves into burnout. Equip and encourage them to consider their own needs and set clear boundaries as well!

I do this by:

• Requiring my leadership team to take vacation days every quarter. This helps to prevent burnout and helps to keep them in top form!
• Equipping them to have clear processes for managing various situations. Be clear with what they have the authority to handle themselves and what they need to loop you in on or bring to you.
• Keep lines of communication open! Your leadership team does a lot for you, and they need to know that you see it and that you appreciate them. Even just sending little notes of thanks can make a huge difference!

Equip Your Team for Wellness

One of my mottoes is “work hard, play hard” – and it’s one my team knows well. If I want them to embody this, I need to set the example!

Whenever I take time for myself – anything from enjoying an online concert to taking a few days away – I take pictures or videos and share them. I don’t do this to say, “Hey, look at me!” but to encourage both my team and my clients to do the same. At the same time, I often thank them for being the superstars they are and freeing me up.

I don’t want my team to be tied to their computers 24/7 or sacrifice their physical or mental wellness – I want them to be healthy and thrive!

Something else I do is to look for ways to boost my team’s wellness. This includes things like:

• Purchasing the Calm App for each member of my team and providing an easy way for them to share different features they love
• Gifting members of my team throughout the year with things that will give them fun new ways to relax and recharge (and yes, I survey my team annually so that my Team Happiness Coordinator and I have options they’ll love to choose from!)

Again, this doesn’t have to be difficult. With the right systems and a strong culture in place, these steps become easier to implement!

Celebrate Your Team’s Wellness Wins

It’s important to develop a team that will go the extra mile to help you grow, but it’s also important to celebrate the steps they take to become more intentional about their own wellness and ability to thrive.

You can celebrate both small and large steps – each one matters.

In our Slack workspace, we have a couple of channels for team members to share “non-work” events and observations. These might range from sharing pictures of different “thrive” moments in their lives to huge “bucket list” events.

In the past month or two, we’ve shared pictures of team members working and playing during a planning retreat as well as images of a team member’s dream trip to Europe. Each of them reminds us to take time to play and recharge, and each is an opportunity to build an even stronger culture.

I encourage you to take some time to develop an action plan to help your team both prioritize wellness and equip you to better step into your own leadership role – and if you would like some help, just let us know!