The World Health Organization recently published global guidelines for addressing the “2nd pandemic” of mental health crises at work. In their policy, they identified common hazards in business that are detrimental to emotional wellbeing and accelerate burnout.
One of them was leading others.
Being a manager can often seem attractive and is commonly perceived as necessary for career advancement. Most managers strive to be inspirational, supportive, and help their team thrive. Yet, according to Gallup, 70% of managers are not effective. Further, surveys show that nearly 70% have not been trained on HOW to lead others.
Not being aware of these threats is akin to an electrician not being trained on the hazards of electricity. We are handling live wires without the equipment or knowledge to keep ourselves from getting zapped.
In this session, we review the known hazards that exist for people leaders, share the business impact of not addressing these risks, and share established tactics that can be applied immediately to help managers and their teams flourish. As a result, participants will be able to:
- Have awareness of the hazards of leading others
- Identify their level of risk for burnout
- Articulate the business impact of these risks
- Craft an action plan to address these hazards
Dr. Allessandria Polizzi is a former HR executive who is now the CEO of Verdant Consulting, a top 20 Workplace Wellness provider and top 10 Emerging Organizational Change company for 2022 that supports mental health in the workplace through resiliency and psychological health and safety programs. Her first book, The Workplace Mental Health Strategy Workbook, was published in 2024 and provides guidance on proactive approaches for creating healthy and thriving workplaces. She is also the ISO global liaison for Occupational Health and Safety and has served as an expert on psychological health and safety for professional associations, media, and the National Safety Council.