4 Daily Practices To Nurture Yourself And Your Team

Organic mentorship is the ideal goal

One mistake that leaders make in trying to empower women in the workforce is spending budgets on events and experiences hoping to create meaningful connections among their teams. However, research suggests that what women in the workforce really want is to have a voice, build relationships, and receive mentorship. This is good news! Instead of spending time and money on events and experiences, leaders can now shift their focus to fostering a nurturing environment that builds relationships and overall empowers women by meeting the needs they hope to have fulfilled.

What Is a Nurturing Environment?

A nurturing environment sets a foundation for all team members to feel seen, heard and understood. It also allows for empathy and emotional safety to be present. A nurturing environment creates the space for women in the workforce to be more optimistic and productive rather than feel overworked and overwhelmed.  

Employees who feel nurtured are emboldened to:
●    communicate openly and effectively
●    set healthy boundaries
●    be less reactive
●    respect the boundaries set by leaders and other team members
●    work more efficiently and meet deadlines
●    display greater creativity
●    contribute enthusiastically
●    participate in team goals and deadlines
●    feel empowered to make decisions
●    act boldly

What Leaders Can Do to Create a Nurturing Environment

As a leader, consider what is needed to nurture your team members (and yourself). How can you establish an environment that fosters teams that feel nurtured and carry forth some of the characteristics we outlined above?

Try these four simple practices to create a nurturing work environment for yourself and your team:

1. Develop a Gratitude Practice with Your Team Members

Whether you have a weekly one-on-one with each member of your team or a weekly team meeting, it can be easy to introduce a gratitude culture at work. Use the first five minutes of each meeting to share a quote or short video about gratitude. Keep it to 1-2 minutes. Use the remaining 4-5 minutes to open the floor to share about gratitude. Invite team members to come to the meeting prepared to share at least one thing they are grateful for, or how they are grateful for another member of the team. Be sure to include yourself in sharing.

2. Celebrate the Big and Small Wins

Ask your team members to prepare three wins and bring them to your weekly meeting. Wins can be both work-related and personal. As wins become part of your work culture, team members will get to know each other on a more personal level. Over time, working relationships will grow stronger and team members will support each other without being asked to do so.

3. Lead with Acknowledgment

As a leader, it is important to offer feedback that is honest and helpful. There will likely be times when you need to share negative feedback. Rather than leading with the things that need to be improved or changed, begin with acknowledging the work that is meeting or exceeding expectations. When you acknowledge the good parts, team members are better able to listen and receive constructive feedback.

4. Set Clear and Healthy Boundaries

Healthy boundaries create a feeling of safety and security. When your team knows what to expect, they are better able to relax and do their work. When your work environment is filled with uncertainty, team members are more likely to be stressed and overwhelmed. Be sure to set and communicate expectations clearly for each team member.

After you have incorporated these four simple practices, practice what you preach by keeping a leader journal that is for your eyes only. This will be a point of reference for you to notate where your team has grown and where you can continue growth strategies.

Use these simple prompts in your journal:

• Write down who has taken initiative to share.
• Notice which team members feel open to sharing.
• Create ways to encourage sharing from those who are more reticent.
• Place healthy boundaries for sharing so the same team members aren’t always first to share.
• Notate opportunities to offer each team member time to be heard.
• Review the list of characteristics that employees display when they feel nurtured. Is there anyone on your team who seems less emboldened? What steps can you take as their leader and mentor to help them grow in these areas?

By implementing these practices, you will notice incremental shifts in your team – people will start speaking up more, relationships will further develop, and opportunities for mentorship will become organic. Organic mentorship is the ideal goal because it results in a stronger, more impactful team overall.

When executing these daily practices, remember to consider yourself. Many will be looking to you for guidance, strategy, and mentorship, but who is looking after you? Who is mentoring you? It’s vital that as leaders we remember that we also need to grow and advance. Have someone in your midst as a trusted resource who will listen to your ideas, encourage you, and even critique your leadership style. Constructive feedback will cause you to reflect and consider their advice for future decision-making.  

Author Bio

Peaceful living expert, Roberta Hughes works with companies and individuals to implement daily progress practices. Roberta walks alongside clients, individuals, and businesses to implement daily routines including gratitude, meditation, and self-awareness practices that aid in developing a stronger EQ and easing the weight of what we are carrying, both mentally and physically. She is the Founder and Self Care Expert at PeaceFull Living, a boutique hybrid studio that conveys a delicate and personalized approach to corporate wellness through customized Pilates.