Good Management and Leadership

“Good management and leadership protects responders”

LIFELINES ESSENTIALS #9

Research also shows “Workplace stress is as big a threat to wellbeing as trauma exposure.” - the Lifelines Essential #8.

Professor Cary Cooper, President of the British Academy of Management, said we should “pin a sign to every office door reading ‘Your manager is potentially dangerous to your mental health’”!

However, the good news is that the opposite is also true and good leadership is associated with staff wellbeing, morale and good mental health. It is a key part of your Protective Armour.

Good leadership

If you’ve experienced good management, you will know how that feels. They are the leaders who set clear and achievable tasks, communicate well and build strong teams. They give us some control, recognise and appreciate hard work, inspire us to do our best and generally have our back.

These qualities are equally helpful whether the manager is leading a response to a major incident, training new team members or supporting someone who is off sick.

Retired Police Superintendent Ian on the importance of authenticity in leadership

A quick guide to Supporting your Team

Advice for leaders....

Remember that you set the tone and culture in the workplace and this is especially important when we’re talking about well-being. There’s little point trying to encourage your team to take care of themselves if you’re not looking after yourself.

If you don’t take breaks or holidays, and regularly send emails at out of work hours, then your team will feel they need to do the same. Model the importance of rest and recuperation, both within the working day and outside of work.

Don’t underestimate the power you have to show by your actions that people are valued and respected. Giving positive feedback and saying thank you builds individuals' confidence and team loyalty.

Protect time for team activities, both formal meetings and informal coffee breaks. These routines and this informal social support are at the heart of what keeps us well at work.

Take a look at our quick guide to supporting your team and use the resources across this website.

Resources for leaders

We helped to develop the Stay Safe Stay Well framework for you to think about team and individual wellbeing before, during and after challenging jobs. Download the framework and guidance document here.

There are lots of excellent resources to help you look after your people. Here are some of the best we’ve found.

Public Health Scotland guidance to support a mentally healthy workplace.

‍The Mental Health Foundation on How to Support Mental Health at Work.

NHS England how to look after your team’s health and wellbeing.

The Health and Safety Executive’s Working Minds campaign to reduce work-related stress.
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NHS Education for Scotland Resources for managers and Project Lift to support leadership across health, social care and social work in Scotland.
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Mind guidance on implementing the Thriving at Work mental health standards in your workplace.

We worked with UKSAR to develop Guiding Principles for Emergency Response Volunteer Wellbeing.

Other articles to read: How to Make Work More Meaningful for Your Team and Capable, compassionate, and inclusive leaders - Care Quality Commission

Your service, your Lifelines

Visit the web pages of Lifelines Scotland Ambulance, Fire & Rescue, Police, Volunteer Responders or Prison Service for extra resources tailored to each service and more information about the specific help available from different organisations.