Managing Your Team = Taking Care of Your Team

Ensuring the health and happiness of your team is paramount in creating a positive company culture, and leads to the best work.

When you’re managing people, because you own the company, or you’ve been promoted (congrats), leading a team can be challenging. For many, the last thing you want to worry about is the actual managing of people. You want to meet clients, work on projects, and find new opportunities. But, if you haven’t hired anyone for employee management, then you’re still responsible.

I’ve thought about what I can do, or have done, to manage my team as best as I can, and for me it’s more important to make sure that they’re happy and healthy, than making sure they take company surveys, or sit in one-on-ones every week.

When working in an office and sitting behind a desk all day, one of the most important — yet easiest to ignore — parts of life people tend to neglect is their health. As the CEO of a technology-reliant digital marketing and development team, I, as well as the rest of the company, am attached to my computer and smartphone, so without some strong awareness and effort, health and life outside of the office can suffer.

I combat this by encouraging a healthy routine for my team, and doing my best to lead by example. Firstly, I have made it clear to everyone in my company that keeping healthy is one of the most important things to take care of when it comes to making an impact and being efficient at work. For me, personally, I do this by getting to the office early, usually by 7:30 am, and then leaving between 4 and 5 pm, so that I can get in a good workout, before I head home to my wife and spend real quality time with her. Of course, due to clients, meetings, etc., I may not be able to make that happen every single day, but for the most part, I stick to this routine and am a happier and better boss in the process. I encourage this kind of routine for my team by offering discounts at a nearby gym through our insurance provider.

Secondly, I have built a work environment that encourages each of us to get out of the office. When we recently moved our Los Angeles location, I purposely chose an area full of walkable restaurants and activities, including a park across the street. Being outside for an hour in the fresh air and sunshine greatly improves health and performance.

It’s a positive cycle where more attention to our health leads to increased efficiency, which means being able to get home earlier, enjoy our lives beyond work, and, of course, a healthier version of ourselves.

Thanks for reading.

-Bahman Zakeri

As Founder, CEO and Chief Strategist of Xivic, Inc., Bahman Zakeri leads his team in the digital technology space to create impactful products, and measurable marketing. For over 20 years, Zakeri has worked with both B2B and B2C brands across many industries including automotive, consumer electronics, healthcare, hospitality, and entertainment. Recent clients include: Meineke Car Care Centers, Maaco, Staples, Umami Burger, and California Closets.