Self-Care is Self-Management

Steve identified that a key member of his team was performing at sub-optimum levels compared to normal. The staff member identified a few things that he needed from Steve so that he could be successful. The requests were reasonable and certainly within Steve’s control, but he chose to overlook and therefore deny them. 

Failure in leadership, right? Right! How could someone possibly be so thoughtless and keep this staff member in his current struggling state? Failure indeed…only in this scenario, Steve was also the staff member. He failed to address his own needs.   

One of my favorite sayings regarding self-management is “If you can lead one, you can lead many.  If you can’t lead one, you can’t lead any.” We often think of self-management as controlling how we show up in meetings and/or interactions with others. I would also propose that failure to address, articulate, and/or advocate your needs is a failure in self-management.  

Would you choose to deny your staff member? Of course not! Part of leadership is identifying and removing barriers from the paths of your team so they can succeed. Lead yourself in the same manner. Within your control? Meet your need. Within someone else’s control?  Don’t choose to suffer in silence, rather, articulate and advocate for your need.   

Deep down, we all want to show up as the best versions of ourselves at home, in public, and in the workplace. A tangential benefit of taking care of yourself is that others will see it and want it for themselves. Family members, friends, peers, supervisors, and direct reports will all see the benefits of taking care of themselves as they see you thrive. Be the change you would want to see in others and be a cultural lighthouse when it comes to self-care.   

Continue to lead yourself, and others, well.