Staff member A has increasingly called out throughout the last month, creating an increased workload for the rest of the team. Staff members B and C have always had personality clashes, but this tension has spilled over lately into volatile arguments. Staff member D has childcare issues and has dropped their part of an assignment affecting an assigned deadline. Staff member E has been with the agency for decades but consistently refuses to listen to their colleagues’ suggestions to implement new work procedures.
If you are a manager — whether seasoned or just starting out — there is a strong chance that you have encountered one, if not all, of these scenarios. Team dynamics are incredibly complex, as the actions of your individual staff members impact their own performance, the team and your own position as well. But as one facet of a manager’s role is to meet their staff “where they are” — not just professionally but personally — how do we meet this expectation and still not let factors like stress unbalance everyone’s dynamic, including our own?
Is the only way to avoid getting stressed at work to not go to the office? Besides the impracticality of this decision, hopefully at least one of your staff members would be alarmed at your absence. The reality is that life is stressful. Navigating the dynamics of your team and not becoming overwhelmed in the face of operational pressure is challenging enough; but this tension is exacerbated for leaders due to the complexity of their role.
Balance is the key to finding a path away from stress. Ultimately as a manager your control is limited, and you won’t be able to prevent all the tensions that arise. But you can model appropriate behavior for your staff by maintaining a professional demeanor in difficult situations, practicing mindfulness and setting boundaries that you adhere to. These tenets will encourage wellness and positivity amongst your staff as well.
But if stressors continue to arise and you find yourself increasingly taking on this burden, I would recommend taking a moment to pause and reflect. What is it about this situation that is causing your pressure or anxiety? Can you reduce this tension by re-examining operational issues? If not, is this a moment to check in with your team members? Perhaps an individual staff member is negatively affecting the dynamics of the whole group and a difficult conversation with with them is needed. Offering staff viable resources for assistance according to agency policy should be part of a consistent practice and can go a long way to making a person feel supported if they are going through a difficult time.
Stress is very much an individual reaction even if it can affect large groups of people. And while the aforementioned discussion offers some helpful suggestions, unfortunately, there is no a generic advice for managers that will work in every situation, because each is different and has its own context. But that doesn’t mean that you have to let these dynamics affect you. You have to put your metaphorical seatbelt on first in order to be able to better equip your staff. Taking charge of your thoughts, emotions, schedule, environment, and the way you deal with problems so that you will continue to be able to hold up under pressure and meet challenges head on — that’s the crucial element.
Erin Farquhar is a Branch Manager for DC Public Libraries in Washington, D.C. Erin holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in English Literature and Folklore, as well as a MLIS. She has worked in quite a few of DC’s wards, and enjoys working with the communities she serves.
Erin has stated, “Now, as a manager within this infrastructure I look to further develop the practices of strategic thinking and plan implementation. As libraries continue to develop their social role in order to build strong vibrant communities, I would like to mirror this direction in order to help shape the ideas and perspectives that are central to an innovative society. Any metamorphosis can be a slow process but a caring workforce reflects the commitment of all its employees.
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