The Garrett Learning newsletter. A mental health and wellbeing update to find out what has been happening, what’s coming up and what’s new!
Inside this month’s issue:
- Formula 1 and resilience
- Mental Health Guidance for Leaders
- Upcoming dates for your diary – You’re invited to join our open forum
We are * Supportive * Curious * Welcoming * Encouraging * Straightforward * We are Garrett Learning.
What’s been happening?
My newsletter is slightly delayed as I spent the long weekend at Silverstone for the Formula 1. We enjoyed the glorious sunshine for the few days leading up to the race and on Sunday, race day, we experienced all the natural elements!
The reason for posting about the F1 is the sheer determination of the winners! Spoiler alert, if you haven’t watched the race yet, please scroll past the next section!
The 3rd place podium winner was Nico Hulkenberg. The crowd erupted! Nico achieved his first-ever podium after 239 races or 15 years of racing!
(Image blurred intentionally due to image licensing – an expensive mistake!)
What a result and what a resilient attitude of chasing his dream for those 15+ years.
We can learn a thing or two from Nico and his ‘don’t give up’ attitude! We can apply this to all aspects of our leadership role, career, life and hobbies. Here are my five thoughts about Nico’s epic achievement:
1: Achieving your goal: A ‘don’t give up’ attitude is crucial for achieving your long-term goals.
2: Resilience: We build resilience by bouncing back from setbacks and adversity. Nico has faced challenges head-on, pushed through difficulties which has strengthened his ability to cope with future challenges.
3: Learning from those setbacks: We’re not defeated or fail, these challenges become valuable lessons for future decision-making and growth
4: Being an inspiration to others: If after 15 years we finally get close to or achieve the dream, this will surely inspire others to ‘not give up’ and strive for their own goals
5: Increased confidence and self-belief: Take the wins and allow this to fuel yourself (no pun intended!) to achieve bigger and better things, P1 next time Nico?!
Well done Nico!
Oh, and in other news
…
Garrett Learning turned 5! I celebrated with my mom at the Confetti Fields in Wick. Thanks mom for the photo credit!
What’s new?
I was asked to write a Q&A article on ‘Mental health guidance for leaders’ for MHFA England. If you missed it, here’s my full response:
- What behaviours or habits from leadership have you seen positively influence team attitudes toward mental wellbeing?
Leaders who prioritise health, wellbeing and take a break regularly will lead the way and set the right example. It’s important to take a break for efficiency and productivity, although we don’t always feel this is the right thing to do when we are ‘fighting the fire’.
It’s also fantastic to hear the senior leadership team talk openly about their own difficulties and challenges, as it encourages their team members to do the same, it normalises mental health and it can positively influence the team attitudes toward mental health and wellbeing. We need to talk about mental health challenges we experience as well as other health challenges, such as physical conditions that are more openly discussed so support and help can be accessed.
- How can leaders balance vulnerability and professionalism when promoting mental health awareness?
Leaders can balance vulnerability and professionalism by creating a safe and open environment for discussions around mental health. Leaders acknowledging their own challenges, in a safe and respectful manner, show that all types of people can experience poor mental health and with the right help and support you can have a successful career.
Brene Brown talks about the ‘Power of Vulnerability’ and you can connect to people on a deeper level if we are open, honest and transparent which will help with the organsiations culture.
Leaders also need to ensure that confidentiality and trust are maintained so people feel safe to open up in a way that feels safe for them.
- What role do leaders play in shaping the everyday tone and openness around mental health?
Leaders play a crucial role in setting the tone and leading the way on how mental health is seen within the organisation. As a leader, a great question to ask the leadership is, how does employee/stakeholders’ health and wellbeing fit into the company’s mission statement and values?
The business leaders can promote an open and inclusive work culture that destigmatises mental health issues and encourages open discussions about how people think, feel and behave in a safe setting.
The leaders can lead by example by initiating proactive discussions, implementing meaningful back-to-work chats, introducing a Wellbeing Action Plan and the HSE Stress Risk Assessments, which will help support additional mental health initiatives within the organisation.
Let’s make sure our people managers are trained in how to use these tools to make them effective for all.
- How can leaders role-model healthy boundaries, rest and workload management?
If our leaders can lead by example in a world of competing priorities, healthy boundaries could be adopted by so many others:
- Taking adequate rest breaks, including taking a lunch break away from the desk.
- Take our annual leave without feeling guilty, and leave the laptop and work phone with your colleague! Take a real break and see how much better you feel upon your return. The business will still be there!
- Workload management – Saying no in a respectful way if our workload is already at capacity (read Steven Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People)
- Set realistic expectations for the team, not to add additional stress and pressure to their lives.
- Encourage open communication about workload and offer support in managing stress
- How can leaders encourage regular, meaningful check-ins without making employees feel scrutinised?
Firstly, we need to assess if these ‘check-ins’ are seen as a tick-box exercise. If they are, they won’t be genuine or authentic and subsequently, an exercise without much return for anyone.
We want our business leaders to have regular, meaningful check-ins with their team members, honing in on a supportive and empathetic approach. Listening and actively listening to their employees’ feedback is essential; we should focus on overall wellbeing rather than just performance metrics during check-ins.
Training and support should be offered to your business leaders in this area, explaining the benefits of 1:1 time with each team member and how to identify any health concerns and mental health warning signs, plus, how to have a supportive conversation and when to offer additional support.
- How do you help leaders understand their influence on long-term wellbeing outcomes across an organisation?
Imagine a people leader, Sarah, who consistently assigns last-minute urgent tasks to her team, often without considering their current workload or personal commitments. As a result, team members feel overwhelmed, stressed, and have difficulty maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Sarah may not realise the impact of her actions on her team’s mental wellbeing because she is solely focused on meeting deadlines.
However, after attending a workshop on mental health in the workplace, Sarah gains insight into the connection between her leadership style and her team’s overall wellbeing. She learns that her behaviour contributes to a toxic work environment that can lead to burnout and decreased productivity among her team members. With this new understanding, Sarah begins to prioritise open communication, set realistic expectations and support her team’s mental health needs.
Training and self-awareness can help leaders understand how they can directly influence the long-term wellbeing, mental health and engagement of their teams.
- What’s one piece of advice you would give to a leader who wants to start making a difference today but isn’t sure where to begin?
Start by initiating open conversations about mental health and workplace wellbeing.
First, seek feedback from team members to find out how they are feeling, have that meaningful 1:1.
Ask open questions such as:
- Thinking about workplace wellbeing and your mental health, how supported do you feel by the organsiation/ your line manager? How can we support you better with these?
- What future business/personal goals are you working towards?
- What further support might you need that would help you to fulfill your role/goals?
We can provide our people managers with the tools they need, such as: training, mental health resources and support available both within (Employee Assistance Programme, MHFAiders, Private medical insurance etc) and outside the organisation (Hub of Hope for a directory of mental health and wellbeing services in your area – UK)
What’s coming up in July:
Monday 14th July 13:00-13:50 if you’re a Workplace Wellbeing Champion or Mental Health First Aider, come and join us for our quarterly Ambassador/Champion support chat. It’s a chance to share our thoughts, questions, support each other along side with a 10 minute teach section.
Join the Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3901133666?pwd=RnN2N1hRR3NUT0FwcUlzUFVPd29wUT09
Meeting ID: 390 113 3666
Passcode: nimwS9
Tuesday 15th July 09:30-16:30 MHFA England One Day Champion. £195 per person. Book and pay here: https://buy.stripe.com/cN2aELbZqct32LS3ce
Thurs 17th July 09:30-13:30 MHFA England Refresher. £150 per person. https://buy.stripe.com/28odQX0gI9gRdqw5ks
Tuesday 22nd July 10:30-14:30 MHFA England Refresher. £150 per person. https://buy.stripe.com/28odQX0gI9gRdqw5ks
Monday 28th and Tuesday 29th July 09:30-16:30 MHFA England Mental Health First Aid (MHFAider) £325 per person: Book and pay here: https://buy.stripe.com/8wM9AH8Ne8cNfyE00e
Wednesday 30th July 09:30-13:30 Mental Health Skills for Managers. £150 per person. Book and pay here: https://buy.stripe.com/4gw7szbZq64F3PW3cJ
Friday 25th July – National Schizophrenia Awareness Day. Schizophrenia is a common mental illness that affects 1 in 100 people in their lifetime, yet the condition is widely misunderstood.
We are jam-packed with lots of open courses for you and your team to join, however, if you would like to run a private cohort, or want to attend a programme later on in the year, please do get in touch with me: wendy@garretlearning.co.uk or call/WhatsApp on 07859 878 599.
Want to find out more on how Garrett Learning can help you??
Garrett Learning creates welcoming, memorable, and learner-focused learning experiences to reach individual and business goals.
Book a discovery call with us to see how Garrett Learning can offer:
- Lunch and learn workshops
- MHFA England Programmes Open courses
- Bespoke training
- 1:1 well-being strategy development
- Business mentoring
Chat with Wendy: Book a call
We (Wendy and her growing team!) are here for you when you need us. We are here to hear you! We are kind in nature and open to hearing everyone’s point of view. Our training and overall learning experiences are built to ensure you feel comfortable and can be yourself.
If you want to discuss your future plans, I’d love to hear them! Get in touch!
m: 07859 878 599
c: https://scheduler.zoom.us/garrettlearning/1-1-cuppa-and-chat
l: www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-garrett-7522bb50/
f: www.facebook.com/GarrettLearning
i: www.instagram.com/garrettlearning
t: www.tiktok.com/@garrettlearning
Y: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRq7TIWs7iqeaOvA3hdFN3w
