Daniel Lundqvist

Exploring the relationship between managers' leadership and their health

OBJECTIVEnTo explore the relationship between managers leadership and their health, by investigating what psychosocial conditions in the workplace managers experience as being important to their health, and how their health influences their leadership.nnnPARTICIPANTS AND METHODSnSemi-structured interviews with forty-two managers at different managerial levels in a large Swedish industrial production company.nnnRESULTSnMost managers felt their health was good, but many perceived their work as stressful. They said it was important to their health that they did a good job and achieved results as expected, that conditions in the workplace enabled this achievement, and that their performance was acknowledged. In comparison to the other managerial levels, the first-line managers work and health were especially dependent on such enabling conditions. The results also showed that the managers health influenced their leadership, the quality of their work and the quality of their relationship with subordinates.nnnCONCLUSIONnManagers leadership, health and their work conditions are reciprocally related to each other. A productive and healthy workplace is facilitated by focusing on managers conditions for leadership, their health and their work conditions.

Investigating Work Conditions and Burnout at Three Hierarchical Levels

Objective: To investigate the differences and the association between work conditions and symptoms of burnout at the three hierarchical levels: subordinates, first-line managers, and middle managers. Methods: Analyses were based on questionnaire data from 4096 employees in nine organizations, containing three hierarchical levels: subordinates (n = 3659), first-line managers (n = 345), and middle managers (n = 92). Results: Work conditions were found to differ between the three hierarchical levels, mostly between subordinates and managers. Managers experienced fewer symptoms of burnout than subordinates. Furthermore, the association between work conditions and burnout differed for subordinates, first-line managers, and middle managers. Conclusions: Occupational health research needs to focus more on differences between hierarchical levels regarding work conditions and burnout.

Is there a correlation between coaches’ leadership styles and injuries in elite football teams? A study of 36 elite teams in 17 countries

Background Do coaches’ leadership styles affect injury rates and the availability of players in professional football? Certain types of leadership behaviour may cause stress and have a negative impact on players’ health and well-being. Aim To investigate the transformational leadership styles of head coaches in elite men’s football and to evaluate the correlation between leadership styles, injury rates and players’ availability. Methods Medical staff from 36 elite football clubs in 17 European countries produced 77 reports at four postseason meetings with a view to assessing their perception of the type of leadership exhibited by the head coaches of their respective teams using the Global Transformational Leadership scale. At the same time, they also recorded details of individual players’ exposure to football and time-loss injuries. Results There was a negative correlation between the overall level of transformational leadership and the incidence of severe injuries (rho=−0.248; n=77; p=0.030); high levels of transformational leadership were associated with smaller numbers of severe injuries. Global Transformational Leadership only explained 6% of variation in the incidence of severe injuries (r2=0.062). The incidence of severe injuries was lower at clubs where coaches communicated a clear and positive vision, supported staff members and gave players encouragement and recognition. Players’ attendance rates at training were higher in teams where coaches gave encouragement and recognition to staff members, encouraged innovative thinking, fostered trust and cooperation and acted as role models. Conclusions There is an association between injury rates and players’ availability and the leadership style of the head coach.

Communication quality between the medical team and the head coach/manager is associated with injury burden and player availability in elite football clubs

Objectives We investigated medical staff interpretations and descriptions of internal communication quality in elite football teams to determine whether internal communication was correlated with injuries and/or player availability at training and matches. Methods Medical staff from 36 elite football clubs across 17 European countries produced 77 reports at four postseason meetings to provide their perceptions of internal communications in their teams. They also recorded data on individual players’ exposure to football and time-loss injuries. Results The injury burden and incidence of severe injuries were significantly higher in teams with low quality of communication between the head coach/manager and the medical team (scores of 1–2 on a 5-point Likert scale) compared with teams with moderate or high-quality scores (scores of 3–5; p=0.008 for both). Teams with low scores had 4%–5%u2009lower training attendance (76% vs 83%, p=0.001) and less availability at matches (82% vs 88%, p=0.004) compared with teams with moderate or high communication quality scores. Conclusions The quality of internal communication within a team was correlated with injury rates, training attendance and match availability.