It’s already fairly common knowledge that poor mental health among field sales professionals can greatly affect your business. Sales reps and managers are not robots; they have their own inner struggles and private lives that affect their wellbeing and performance. This goes for your staff, and for you as well!
Many of the top CEOs know this already. There are a number of tips to glean from their practices with regard to how to be a better manager by effectively managing your own well-being.
The pressures faced by CEOs daily are extensive. A 2006 Harvard study found that the average CEO works for approximately 62.5 hours a week, including weekends. It stands to reason then that high-performing CEOs are susceptible to mental health issues and extreme stress. In fact, a study conducted by the University of California San Francisco says 30% of CEOs admit to struggling with depression frequently or regularly. One can only assume this is an underestimate, considering the taboos surrounding discussions about mental health that have only begun to relax in recent years.
CEOs recognize their strengths and weaknesses
While the perception still exists that a CEO should be a jack-of-all-trades, responsible for every task and action in a company, the truth is a good leader knows who to employ when finding skills assets for their company, and when to let those employees shine.
A good leader realizes that working in a team shores up weaknesses, and overall strengthens the organization. They are always trying to figure out how to be a better manager by ensuring balance in their own lives and empowering their staff.
Let’s be honest, no single person can be good at everything. The primary skill a CEO should possess is the ability to know when to step up and when to let go. By adopting this model, the CEO will ensure they are looking after their own mental health while also empowering the skilled people they employed to assist them.
McKinsey’s findings suggest that CEOs suffer from chronic difficulties managing loneliness, disappointment, exhaustion, frustration, and irritation. The good news is, there are all sorts of ways to address and relieve these struggles. Good leaders know the importance of effectively managing their time and energy, ensuring they don’t fall into the trap of forgetting how to say “I don’t know,” and striving to model authentic leadership.
How to be a better manager by valuing mental health from top to bottom
De-stigmatizing (and emphasizing) conversations about mental health in the workplace should be an objective for every CEO. Open conversation about mental health helps you stay attuned to your own health, as well as that of your employees. Understanding where you and your staff are mentally can give you guidance on how to be a better manager in your organization.
While many leaders naturally want to portray a ‘can-do-all’ attitude, there is something to be said for vulnerability. Leading with humanity and relatability opens the door for increased creativity, collaboration, and opportunity. Horton International suggests that adopting a more vulnerable leadership approach provides opportunities to hear other perspectives on an issue and opens space for conversation, which in turn leads to collaboration.
Further, they suggest that, when addressing mental health, CEOs should actively develop a nurturing culture in their organization. Offer support mechanisms for employees struggling with mental health issues and direct medical assistance with mental health. A 2020 global survey from Harvard found that 40% of the respondents reported a lack of emotional and mental support from their company leadership structures. This is a small but meaningful cultural change that can greatly affect your business.
CEOs work smart, using tools and systems
It is possible to encourage productivity and effectiveness alongside a nurturing culture – in fact, it’s essential to. One way to be a better manager is to source the right tools to help you do your job. Your focus on both your own and your employees’ mental health should result in a culture that encourages working smarter, not harder. You can do so by making use of software that directly assists you with management demands.
For example, Skynamo’s field sales app provides tools to assist you in being a better manager by simplifying your organization’s daily processes. By automatically capturing data such as routes driven and time spent with customers and then generating daily reports on this data, Skynamo frees you up to focus on other, more pressing challenges like team productivity and efficacy.
The sales app provides the ability to interact with team members by assigning individual tasks and delivering personalized notes. This helps enhance the nurturing culture you want to instill, as workers have a direct line of personalized communication.
The field sales performance app also includes a month-to-date leaderboard tool that takes care of the micromanagement you don’t have time for, highlighting and ranking your top performers. This ensures you know what is happening at every level of your organization. Quickly assess which employees may be struggling, so you can take the time to talk with them and see why.
Productivity is key for any CEO, and creating a bank of resources to enhance your productivity levels is essential. Shoring up the tools that support productivity can have a direct impact on your organization’s long-term sustainability. The following tools are essential for any CEO:
- A productivity management system built on analyzing the best way to structure your time to optimize results. This includes setting weekly and daily goals and reflecting on your to-do list.
- Task management software to enhance productivity in your organization, and the commitment to using it daily.
- A CRM system that enhances networking capabilities.
- An inbox management system with policies in place to sort mail according to your requirements.
- An administrative assistant to focus on the tedious, but crucial administrative tasks you currently spend hours on.
Additionally, you need to make sure your time management is on point. Achieve this by setting tasks that are measurable, specific, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
Why focusing on wellbeing and mental health is important
A well-balanced life is good for everyone, but especially those in leadership positions. To be a better manager you must address your own balance and mental health. This then encourages your employees to follow suit.
Being the best leader you can be means working smart, and there are a plethora of tools to help you do so! Skynamo offers a solution that will form an integral part of any productivity system. It allows managers to work efficiently without missing any details. Reach out today to learn how we can help you prioritize your company’s mental health by simplifying your workflow.
