Morale, inclusion and happiness are valuable elements of good leadership. Your surrounding team is significant, and one thing I took from experience on the mountain was how happy and helpful everyone was, explains Simon from VadarMoss. In the third instalment of the leadership series, VadarMoss explores the importance of morality, inclusion and happiness in defining leadership.
Maintaining team morale and ensuring everyone is in the right headspace is critical. Morale is an overall outlook and encompassing feelings of confidence and satisfaction about our work that can’t be passed on or forced on anyone. Instead, morale has to be nurtured and progressed by people in leadership positions. Considering these facts, strategies to enhance employee morale will require a manager to influence and manage factors that contribute to the environment of a business.
Positive work culture profoundly impacts attitudes, feelings and overall satisfaction that define morale. For leaders, it’s the key to influencing people’s work experience and attitudes towards their working culture.
One of the most important ways to improve employee satisfaction is to ensure people understand their work as an individual and as part of a team providing a great purpose. Many people need to know their work is more than just a job. This sense of true merit can fuel the positive feelings that your employee’s working life matters and that the additional time they put in has value beyond financial compensation.
A feeling of altruism can provide a positive uplift to tiring work, but it can also become obscured in the daily work routine.
As a leader, reminding your team of their core values and greater purpose, and recognising how an individual’s values and work contribute to success, is a great way to boost employee morale. Whether making a difference in business success or impacting a social issue that contributes to a better world, the most valuable and effective employees feel that they are working together to produce something bigger than themselves.
Jason believes that one key thing he hopes is that his team recognise that he has their well-being at the heart of what he does. “I carry medication for them, do well-being checks, and ensure they have all the appropriate kit. We provide training and welfare checks, and I know many of them personally because we focus on creating a consistent team”, explains Jason.
Personal belief and recognition of your team are vital
“I think when people understand that you believe in them and actually care and genuinely engage with them, then there are no concerns of exclusion, and they become part of the family”, believes Jason.
Jason explains how inclusivity on the mountain is vital, and the simple process of signing names on the flag mortalises people and makes them genuinely feel like they are part of something. These small things lead to loyalty, care and well-being. For Jason, the care aspect of leadership and connecting people to the whole experience is critical, ensuring everyone feels part of the same experience, irrespective of their role.
Managing leadership personalities
Simon discussed that on his latest expeditions, there were 15 people on the mountain. Simon asked how Jason deals with potential disputes with guides or guests and how being in this environment lessens the ability to detach yourself from a situation.
Jason explains that he delegates certain levels of responsibility and has to trust people with that responsibility. Any disagreements or issues typically get handled relatively quickly. From a team perspective on the mountains, anything rarely escalates into a problem because everybody comes together for a common cause.
“On the mountain, I keep a check on people’s behaviours, if someone is a little quiet and the reasons for this, whether they’re tired, frustrated or just need some quiet time”, explains Jason.
In many cases of leadership, there are times when you have to make some tough decisions, especially on the mountain. Maybe, it’s deciding whether to continue with the climb and the willingness to discuss this situation with other team members. “If I was to turn someone back from the mountain due to a safety perspective, I consider if I created the right environment to enable that person to be successful. Have I encouraged them to eat enough supplies and give them the benefit of all of the insights?”, explains Jason.
Many studies have suggested that positivity represents a vital factor in successful leadership. One common finding was that happy people often demonstrate a transformational leadership style. Transformational leaders typically inspire and encourage others. They are generally strong at motivating other team members and provide powerful mentoring skills. While they may set high expectations, they facilitate this with the necessary support and recognition for reaching these expectations.
The happiness of people is one of the most important influencing factors on success. Studies show that happy employees are more engaged and productive. Similarly, organisations with higher levels of engagement typically produce higher returns than the average organisation.
Ultimately, Jason highlights that when he looks at his priorities, he considers safety the number one priority, followed by having fun. Providing an engaging experience that people enjoy resonates with all types of leadership, whether on the mountain or in an office.
