Thriving at Work: Strategies for Empowerment and Mental Health

​A surge of mental health issues surfaced as Covid measures drove us into isolation. It acted as a trigger for organisations to address workplace mental health as a business imperative, post-pandemic. 

​During the pandemic, the curtailment of conventional forms of social and professional interactions accentuated the need for humans to be with others. Even introverts, while expressing relief at not having to manage the usual deluge of face-to-face human interactions, would have experienced an unsettling feeling, in the face of not being isolated from their chosen circle of colleagues, friends and family members.
 
The one thing that struck us as professional change agents was the realisation across personality types that lifelines had been disrupted and a sense of aloneness had set in. Based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, this would fall into the third level of “Love and Belonging”.
 
Interestingly, we’ve observed that those who had taken the initiative to continue their path on the fourth (Self-esteem) and fifth (Self-actualisation) levels of the hierarchy, had the internal resources to make it through bad times.
 
They were open to being coached or had engaged in some form of personal and professional development. Ultimately, they were able to rely on themselves, be adaptable and flexible to manoeuvre their way to some level beyond merely coping.  
 
Thanks to the pandemic, the experience of having to deal with volatile business conditions and an unprecedented scale of technological advancements have heightened the need for individuals at all levels of an organisation to have a roadmap to actualise their full potential and that of their teams. Individuals have to do this more rapidly than ever before while ensuring a healthy and happy mind.
 
As such, transformative mentoring and coaching has become a necessity. More and more organisations are working to ensure that managers go beyond merely managing. They have to be inspirational leaders, driven by Purpose to make a positive difference.
 
To do this effectively, people need time and energy. This involves creating empowered teams that can make swift and effective decisions when it comes to the day-to-day. 
 
Leaders can then focus on helping every team member achieve self-actualisation. This would naturally have a positive impact on the organisation as a whole. How can this be done most effectively?
 
Bypassing the conscious mind allows for direct access into the unconscious. For instance, changing a memory that has hindered an individual from achieving results could be the one factor that helps them break free from self-limiting beliefs.
 
Acquainting individuals with how these memories are stored, then helping them understand that changing the memory characteristic from black and white to colour (or vice versa) could make all the difference. Some clients feel immediate surges of excitement as negative energy is released. A greater motivation to excel is a common outcome from small changes that have a big impact.
 
Some clients get hooked on this feeling and are able to then use it in the future as an anchor to create further superior results. An individual’s high performance often influences the entire team.
 
Transformational coaching not only helps individuals perform at their peak. It helps leaders become better coaches and mentors to their teams. It delivers results in large measure, worth every individual’s effort.
 
Beyond this, coaches are also able to shape effective messages to install a common language for accountability across the organisation. Mobilising a workforce in this manner is the best way forward to achieve, not only business results, but also any organisation’s unique purpose.