Is Management Good For Your Health?

I just read a post from the Three Star Leadership Blog on why bad supervisors are bad for you.  Now, we all know that bad managers have a negative impact on employee morale and productivity.  But Wally’s post referred to a study in Sweden that says there’s a link between leadership quality and employee health.

And, we aren’t talking about health issues like “my boss is a pain in the ass”.  We’re talking serious stuff like heart disease and high blood pressure.

Since no one who manages people wants to be responsible for an employee’s heart attack or a lifetime prescription of Levatol, it might be a good idea for companies to make sure their management teams have all the tools necessary to properly manage the workforce.

No one wants to be a bad manager.  There are several things companies can do to set their managers up for success.  For those people currently in management:

1. Find out if they want to be a manager.  Believe it or not – I’ve seen a lot of people pressured into management who never wanted to be there in the first place.  You don’t have to be a manager to be a valuable employee.
2. Make sure that managers know what is expected of them.  And, make sure they want to deliver.
3. If they need resources or training, give it to them.  Training is not an expense…it’s an investment.

When you identify someone who has the desire and potential to be a manager:

1. Tell them.  Don’t keep this information to yourself hoping you can surprise them someday with a promotion.
2. Give them opportunities to learn and grow.  They can lead a project or a committee.

Right now, our management teams are being asked to do more with less.  If our managers don’t have the skills and support to manage their teams, how can a company expect them to keep the operation going?

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