Leading for Health

Leading for Health

Dr. Joel B. Bennett Organizational Wellness and Learning

Systems

Dr. Joel Bennett ~ [email protected]

LeadWell~LiveWell

• Workplace managers and executives can present significant medical savings to an organization through three positive paths of influence:– (1) they provide supportive supervision and

positive leadership, a known health protective factor in the work environment;

– (2) they model heart healthy life-styles to associates (role modeling);

– (3) managers and executives make decisions about providing EAP/health promotion programs. Dr. Joel Bennett ~ [email protected]

Executive health is not simply a personal issue; it has collective consequences for all members of any organization who depend upon the strength, experience, skills, and insights of its leaders… One strong, healthy executive in a key organizational position can serve as a primary prevention agent for tens, hundreds, and even thousands of employees who serve under his or her wing. Therefore, the interests of the organization as well as its individual executives are served well by the preventive health management of its executive cadre.

(Quick et al., 2002; pp. 41-42)

Outline

• A Taxonomy for Leader Health• APEX Study and The Ripple Effect

– Literature Review (sample)• Apply occupational health to Leader

Associate Impact (CVD Research)– Job Strain (Demand/Control)– Effort-Reward Imbalance

• Two Prevention Models– Lead Well: Heart-Centered Leadership– Live Well: Executive Health Model

Dr. Joel Bennett ~ [email protected]

Taxonomy: 3 Key distinctions

1. Managers own health (constructs and measurement)

A. Causal Factors (genetic, social, job, career, life-style)B. The impact of managers own health

1. On his/her performance (engagement)2. On employees (engagement)

2. Manager Decisions: Factors Impact ee Health

A. Job Design (Organization of Work)B. Health Promotion (promote programming)

3. Normative InfluencesA. Extra-organizational (industry norms, career stage)B. Intra-organizational (bosses, peers, subordinates)

Dr. Joel Bennett ~ [email protected]

APEX-Study Resultswww.apex.gc.caASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL EXECUTIVESOF THE PUBLIC SERVICE OF CANADA

Leaders tend to attribute personality and lifestyle factors for most health

absenteeism rather than organizational factors for which they areresponsible. Despite all of the evidence to the contrary, they more

oftenpoint to family issues as being the source of work /family conflict.

Theeffect of the continuing mis-attribution of causality leads to one-

sidedrecommendations to reduce stress focusing on the individual.

Moreover, italso create a kind of “blame the victim” by placing all of the onus onpersonal factors and not acknowledging the major contribution of

workplacestructural factors. – Dr. Wayne Corneil

Dr. Joel Bennett ~ [email protected]

• Adverse psychosocial work conditions (workload, decision latitude, social support and rewards/recognition) impact executive health and organizational outcomes.

• Effects are greater on the job control side as opposed to the demand side

• The imbalance in both the demand/control and the effort/reward paradigms were significant risk factors for all outcomes.

• The negative effects of decision latitude (strain) and the effort reward imbalance were found on health impairment, – in particular cardiovascular health – and organizational outcomes including absenteeism.

APEX-Study Resultswww.apex.gc.ca

Dr. Joel Bennett ~ [email protected]

The key determinants for individual executive health are linked to organizational outcomes

• reduced work performance• increased absenteeism• lower commitment• lower work satisfaction, and • increased intent to turnover.

APEX-Study Resultswww.apex.gc.ca

Dr. Joel Bennett ~ [email protected]

The Ripple Effect

Dr. Joel Bennett ~ [email protected]

Ripple Effect Literature Review (Sample 1)

• Leader behavior impacts employee well-being (Gavin & Kelley, 1978; Gilbreath & Benson, 2004).

• Workers who felt treated fairly by their bosses have lower CVD risk up to 8 years later (Kivimäki et al., 2005).

• Inverse relationship between supportive behavior in immediate supervisors and employee ratings of burn-out (Constable & Russel, 1986; Russel, Altmaier, & Van Velzen, 1987; Burke, Shearer, & Deszca, 1984; Seltzer & Numerof, 1988).

• When leaders are perceived as concerned, honest, and consistent, their subordinates experience reduced stress (Alimo-Metcalfe and Alban-Metcalfe; 2003).

• Employees with emotionally abusive supervisors (e.g., ridicules, blames) have higher levels of depression, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion six months later (Tepper, 2000).

Ripple Effect Literature Review (Sample 2)

• Meta-analysis 73 studies, perceived organizational support (POS): fairness and supervisor supports have greatest relationship: “Employees with high POS generally…suffer fewer strain symptoms such as fatigue, burnout, anxiety, and headaches.” (Rhoades & Eisenberger, 2002)

• Longitudinal study of female hospital workers (doctors, nurses, administrative, and maintenance), 10 locations, managerial practices predicted sickness absence, minor psychiatric morbidity, health status 2 years later (Kivimäki, Elovainio, Vahtera,  & Ferrie, 2003).

• Importantly, across these and other studies –no moderator effects for organizational type, suggesting that these effects do not vary by job level, industry, or intra-study site differences.

Dr. Joel Bennett ~ [email protected]

Understanding Impact: Applications from CVD studies

• Job strain model– How much do managers have control

over subordinate’s job control and demand?

• Effort-Reward imbalance model– How much can managers provide

rewards to offset the effort imbalance?

Dr. Joel Bennett ~ [email protected]

Steinbrecher, S., & Bennett, J.B. (2003). Heart-centered Leadership: An Invitation to Lead from the Inside Out. Memphis: Black Pants Press.To access, click on title link or visit www.instituteofhcl.com

Quick, J.C.,Cooper, C.L.,Quick, & Gavin, J.H.(2003). The Financial Times Guide to Executive Health. London, Prentice Hall.To access, click on title link or search: http://vig.prenhall.com/catalog/academic

Heart-Centered Leadership

Dr. Joel Bennett ~ [email protected]

Dr. Joel Bennett ~ [email protected]

Contact Information

• Dr. Joel Bennett– EMAIL: [email protected]– PHONE: 817-845-2772

• ACCESS BOOKS/DVDs• RESEARCH STUDY

– Participate in LeadWell~LiveWell program

– 30 managers needed• PROTOTYPE

– http://207.32.116.96/OWLS/ExecuPrev/index.html