Mental Health for Leaders

A large majority of adults have experienced trauma in their lives that they carry with themselves daily. Unfortunately, the pandemic has only increased the number of adults in the workforce who now suffer from mental health issues such as PTSD. As leaders, how do we respond when these mental health issues show symptoms or limitations at work?

Today I’m joined by Dan Jolivet, who you may remember from the SHRM Round-up I did earlier this year. In our conversation today, Dan and I discuss trauma-informed management, and how it can open up a world of possibilities for your people when you can adapt to their needs.

Trauma-informed management is all about understanding how to react to trauma responses while keeping healthy, appropriate boundaries in the workplace. You don’t need to know everything about every mental health issue out there, and Dan shares easy-to-implement strategies you can use to help people who have been traumatized feel like they can bring their whole selves to work. When people feel like they are psychologically safe and belong, they will unlock their full potential.

Listen in!

About Dan Jolivet:

Dan is the Workplace Possibilities Practice Consultant at The Standard, where he provides leadership, analysis, and consultative insights into the Workplace Possibilities service line. He is a designated subject matter expert on Stay at Work and Return to Work services, ADA, and behavioral health. He is a clinical psychologist licensed in Georgia and Oregon, and he has worked in behavioral health since 1980. Prior to joining The Standard, Dan worked in managed behavioral health care organizations for 20 years in a variety of management roles, and he was in clinical practice as a child psychologist until 2003.

Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:

• The Standard
• Connect with Dan on LinkedIn
• SHRM 2022 Round-up
• What Happened to You? By Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey
• Join the monthly digital subscription

Many entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses to sell. They have an idea, find out how to implement it, hire the team to do the work, then they’re off to their next big idea.

But the missing piece is the health of the organization. And since people make up 95% of the work in most companies, the health of those employees is of utmost importance.

Team productivity and wellness is so much more than hiring the right talent for the right positions. I think we’ve all come to understand that mental health plays a pivotal role in team wellness. Organizations have been coming around and finding ways to support employees in all areas of their lives, but are they doing enough?

This week on the podcast, I’m talking with podcast host and business consultant Martin Hunter about what questions organizations need to ask before thinking about selling. He shares his thoughts on changing the negative connotation that “mental health” has historically had, what leadership actually looks like, what generation is doing a better job at caring for the people in their organizations, what skills leaders are lacking, and so much more.

About Martin Hunter:

Martin Hunter is an energetic, authentic and engaging leader with the ability to inspire people of all ages and walks of life. Modelling the way, he aligns all stakeholders to common values and creates singularity of purpose.

Martin brings his military experience to the business world. This structure and precision translates directly into operational excellence of safe, on-time, on-budget and on-spec delivery. Managing risk and addressing every challenge systemically, this balance between effective decision making and efficient systems provides his client the organizations the ability to quickly adapt to changing needs and opportunities, while sustaining quality business operations and brand value.

Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:

• URGEO
• What CEOs Talk About podcast
• Connect with Martin on LinkedIn
• Join the monthly digital subscription

We know how important taking time off from work is. It allows us to disconnect from work, spend time with family, create new experiences, explore some creative interests. It’s good for our emotional and mental well being. 

But for some people, taking time off is stressful. Maybe they’re buried under debt so the thought of taking a vacation is a distant dream. Or maybe they just have so much built up paid time off (PTO) from, say, working in healthcare nonstop due to COVID. It feels really stressful to think you built up a huge bank of PTO because you showed up as you should, only to potentially lose it because you don’t use it.

This week on the podcast, I’m talking with Rob Whalen, CEO of PTO Exchange, an organization that helps organizations create solutions for employees to self-direct the value of their unused paid time off for other needs and causes. There are so many options that can create a culture of support and meeting employees where they are right now.

In the episode, we talk about different types of PTO exchange, why supporting employees in this way can reduce turnover, the value of bringing different roles into the organization’s customer experience, and more. It’s such a practical and needed way to meet the customized needs of every team member.

About Rob Whalen:

Rob Whalen is the co-founder and CEO of PTO Exchange, the leading benefits platform that allows employees to self-direct the value of their unused paid time off for other needs and causes. He is a serial entrepreneur that has over 25 years selling and developing software and hardware products, and a BA in accounting from Seattle University.

While building the company, Rob and his co-founder, Todd Lucas, found their mission was to enable flexibility into those benefits that employees earned but could not utilize. They also discovered that by enabling this capability and accountability, PTO Exchange created equity and inclusion for workers to be compensated for their accrued productivity creating a better benefit.

PTO Exchange was selected as a “Cool Vendor of the year” by Gartner in 2017 and awarded “Awesome New Technologies" at the Health and Benefits Leadership Conference in 2018.

Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:

• PTO Exchange
• The Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly
• Join the monthly digital subscription

Who says compassion doesn’t belong at work? Not Laura Berland, founder and executive director of the non-profit Center for Compassionate Leadership. For Laura (and, frankly, me), compassion has a very central place in the workplace and leadership.

Though there are skeptics, there is scientific evidence that compassion in the workplace supports more productive teams and more profits for the organization. But the compassion gets to start from within and this is a skill that can be taught - you can cultivate compassion within yourself and it starts with taking care of yourself first.

On this episode, Laura and I talk about the difference between compassion and empathy, why there are skeptics out there, how to meet those skeptics where they’re at, why vulnerability is so important, what it means to be a compassionate leader, and so much more.

We need more conversations like this, rather than those where we’re trying to convince others to think our way. Everyone has their own path and their own timeline. Hopefully, with more conversations and evidence around the benefits of compassion, those skeptics will become believers. Until then, listen in and be a positive role model for change!

About Laura Berland:

Laura Berland is the Founder and Executive Director of the non-profit Center for Compassionate Leadership. Through community, education, and research, the Center supports leaders as catalysts to open hearts and minds to our shared common humanity, and to urgently develop solutions to global crises and suffering at scale. The Center’s groundbreaking approach brings evidence-based principles of modern leadership and the latest scientific research together with the wisdom of contemplative practices. Laura developed the research proven Compassionate Leadership Model, which has been the foundation for engaging thousands of leaders from over 60 countries to embrace the practice of compassion from the inside out.

For over 40 years, Laura has been a weaver of transformative organizations and experiences, as a serial tech entrepreneur, Fortune 500 executive, meditation educator, yoga therapist, master facilitator, non-profit board member, executive advisor, and digital media creator. Laura is an alumna of Cornell University and New York University.

Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:

• Center for Compassionate Leadership
• Connect with the Center for Compassionate Leadership on LinkedIn and Twitter
• Follow the Center for Compassionate Leadership on Instagram and Facebook
• Book your From Burnout to Hope talk
• Join the monthly digital subscription

We know the importance of taking care of our team members in the day-to-day work. But we forget what that looks like in the big transitions that occur during systems overhauls, large acquisitions, and even leadership changes.

During these times, leadership, management, and employees are under a lot of stress, often for different reasons. Leadership and management is busy making sure that things roll out smoothly. And while some employees are strapped with making sure business as usual still happens, others are deep in the changes while also trying to keep up with their regular responsibilities.

Organizational norms are to put your head down and power through the work. But a lack of communication and added stress weighs on everyone’s mental health. What happened to the idea of people-powered change management?

A better option would be to bring on a consultant to support the transition and serve as a kick stand for leaders and employees alike. Sara Sheehan is one such consultant. And this week on the podcast, we’re talking about why big transformations in organizations fail, the value of coaching for executives, and why employee engagement is so important.

About Sara Sheehan:

Sara Sheehan, PCC, is a consultant and Executive Coach who works with C-Level executive leaders designing organizations, developing business strategies, managing change, optimizing talent and leadership development, and solving complex human performance problems. Through executive coaching, Sara helps leaders sprint their way up the corporate ladder and increase their performance.

Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:

• Sara Sheehan Consulting
• Connect with Sara on LinkedIn
• The Hard Side of Change Management - HBR article
• Join the monthly digital subscription

Offering leadership training and development is essential in the workplace, for organizations of all sizes. But it must be training grounded in small behaviors, rather than big and sweeping changes so the training has lasting impact.

You’ve been there: sitting in a training room, listening to a presentation that encompasses so much information--good information--but the next day you’re challenged to remember any of it. The training wasn’t set up for success. 

This week on the podcast, I’m talking to McKendree Hickory of Life Labs Learning, an organization dedicated to ensuring that leadership training makes the biggest impact in the shortes time possible. In our conversation, McKendree and I talk about forming habits, giving and receiving feedback, why leaders need to learn to ask good questions, why we should do away with the term “inclusive leadership” and more.

As a leadership trainer myself, I appreciate McKendree’s take on why training needs to start long before the training actually starts, and how to accomplish this.

About McKendree Hickory, PhD:

McKendree supports the development and direction of the Life Labs Learning facilitation team. She has a PhD in Industrial Organizational Psychology, with a research focus on conviction, women’s leadership development, and developmental experiences in the workplace. She has delivered leadership training at over 300 companies and led learning and development at the fully remote company, InVision.

Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:

• Connect with McKendree on LinkedIn
• Life Labs Learning
• Mental Health Skills Training
• Join the monthly digital subscription

It’s time to start putting the humanity back in the workplace (if it was there in the first place), and that’s exactly what Cerys Cook and Swift Medical are doing. While mental health and wellness has always been on Swift’s radar, some new standard actions across the board are part of its new initiative to be people-centered and normalize mental health conversations at work.

Health and wellness benefits goes well beyond health insurance and time to attend doctor’s appointments. It’s about checking in on how you’re feeling and ensuring that your team leaders know you’re human. That sounds simple, but when many organizations are (rightfully) focused on the bottom line, it’s typical to leave conversations about feelings out of the conversation. But when we take a few moments to check in each week, we can support one another for the benefit of team members and the organization as a whole.

Imagine that!

In our conversation, Cerys and I talk about the evolution of this practice at Swift, why Swift has so few policies around this work, and what it feels like to be a human resources professional right now. And Cerys gives us a great example of how to get the buy-in from leadership when you’re bringing the idea of mental health conversations to them.

This is a must-listen and such a refreshing approach to mental health in the workplace.

About Cerys Cook:

Cerys is the Chief People Officer at Swift Medical leading people strategy, employer branding and team member experiences. Cerys has always held a profound passion for changing the face of “HR” from the principal’s office to being deeply embedded in core company strategy. She has spent over 20 years working in the start-up / scale-up space directly with CEO's, creating award winning inclusive workplaces and augmenting strong values-based cultures.

Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:

• Swift Medical
• Connect with Cerys on LinkedIn
• Mental Health Skills Training
• Join the monthly digital subscription

Have you ever taken a moment to look at who is championing empathy in the workplace? Who’s demonstrating empathy and talking about feelings and who might be hiding behind their computer screens?

It probably comes as no surprise that it’s typically women and female-identifying team members who talk about and demonstrate empathy in the workplace. This is a societal issue that started long before sexism and misogyny were recognized.

This week on the podcast, I’m talking with social science researcher and empathy pioneer Karla McLaren, M.Ed. about why this is and how we can shift some workplace dynamics to create safe environments where everyone has the emotional vocabulary to talk about their feelings and manage their emotions.

In the episode, Karla shares how to fix the conditioning of gender expectations around emotions and where we can find an emotional vocabulary list so we can get in tune with our own emotions.

About Karla McLaren:

Karla McLaren, M.Ed. is an award-winning author, social science researcher, and empathy pioneer. Her work focuses on her grand unified theory of emotions, which revalues even the most “negative” emotions and opens startling new pathways into self-awareness, effective communication, and healthy empathy. She is the founder and CEO of Emotion Dynamics Inc. and the developer of the Empathy Academy online learning site.

Karla is the author of The Power of Emotions at Work: Accessing the Vital Intelligence in Your Workplace (2021), Embracing Anxiety: How to Access the Genius of this Vital Emotion (2020), The Dynamic Emotional Integration® Workbook (2018), The Art of Empathy: A Complete Guide to Life’s Most Essential Skill (2013), The Language of Emotions: What Your Feelings are Trying to Tell You (2010), and many other books and audio learning programs. 

She is online at KarlaMcLaren.com and EmpathyAcademy.org. You can connect with Karla on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:

• Access Karla’s Emotional Vocabulary List
• Join the monthly digital subscription
• https://karlamclaren.com/emotional-vocabulary-page/

Where to Listen

• Spotify
• Apple
• Google
• Amazon

Everyone wants to be understood and heard and it’s usually a lack of listening and understanding that breeds conflict. No matter where it happens, conflict creates stress and unhealthy situations--something none of us should have to endure. 

The solution? If a conflict can’t be resolved, conflict resolution is the answer. But that doesn’t mean having the two people in conflict sitting down with a manager or in-house HR professional. Bias happens, and even if it’s perceived bias, it’s important for all parties involved to feel safe and that the mediator is neutral.

That’s where someone like Dr. Wes Thiessen of Understanding the Other comes in. And misunderstandings and conflict is exactly what we’re talking about on this week’s episode.

Wes shares why a third party is often best for conflict resolutions, how an HR professional can communicate when a third party is necessary, and why resolving conflict quickly is in everyone’s best interests.

About Dr. Wes Thiessen:

After many years of living in Muslim majority contexts, Wes is involved in intercultural, multi-faith dialogue with respect, dignity and honour for each participant. He is engaged in facilitating mutual understand and respect through a sincere understanding of the culture and beliefs of others. He has a high level of understanding of Islam, Christianity and Judaism through not only an academic perspective, but through also living in those contexts in a long-term setting. He is currently serving as part-time Pastor at Dalemead Church in Dalemead, AB, just outside of Calgary.

An experienced educator, he has been involved in and taught learning language and culture through in-depth relationship with others who live life with intention. Connect with Wes on LinkedIn.

Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:

• Connect with Wes on LinkedIn
• Email Wes
• Join the monthly digital subscription

Where to Listen

• Spotify
• Apple
• Google
• Amazon

Studies show that when employees find meaning in their work, they’re happier, more productive, more creative, and have higher wellbeing. And while individual employees need to do their part in finding that meaning, there’s only so much they can do without the support of their leadership. Since we work in communities, wellbeing and meaning are shared responsibilities, and leaders need to be intentional about their part in it if they want to set up their businesses for higher success.

This week I’m joined by Tamara Myles and Wes Adams, who together have researched how leaders can make work more meaningful for their teams, and why it’s so imperative for success and workplace mental health that they do. They’re here to share tangible ideas and strategies leaders can use, and they break it down into simple objectives that can be implemented starting today.

Listen in to hear more as Wes and Tamara talk about meaningful work, intentional leadership, and individual wellbeing in the workplace.

About Tamara Myles:

Tamara helps leaders make work meaningful to engage employees and improve business performance.

Her approach blends the latest research in Positive and Organizational Psychology with evidence-based strategies to deliver solutions that yield tangible business results. She focuses on organizational transformation and leadership development and has worked with high-performing organizations like Black Rock, Microsoft, KPMG, Unilever, and Best Buy.

Tamara is the author of The Secret to Peak Productivity: A Simple Guide to Reaching Your Personal Best, which is published globally and has been translated to multiple languages. Her work has been featured in Business Insider, Forbes, and USA Today, among others.

Tamara lives in New England with her husband, three teenage children, and two dogs. She loves to cook and is in awe of the power of food to bring people together for deep, meaningful connection.

About Wes Adams:

Wes works with high-performing companies on organizational transformation, leadership development, and employee engagement. He helps both experienced and emerging leaders alike develop the skills and practices that bring out the best from their teams by fostering cultures that enable employees to find meaning and purpose in their work.

He brings two decades of experience growing successful ventures and consulting for Fortune 500s, startups, and NGOs. Past clients include Microsoft, KPMG, Edelman, Harrah’s Entertainment, JP Morgan Chase, NetJets, Sony, Starwood Hotel Group, the United Nations Office of Human Rights, and Warner Brothers. Wes’s work has been covered by the New York Times, Forbes, Business Insider, Fast Company, and others.

Wes is also a Master Facilitator for the Penn Resilience Program, and has been a featured speaker at South by Southwest Interactive and the Nobel Peace Prize Forum. Passionate about social impact, Wes produced a documentary for HBO, The Out List, and a book of interviews about the environmental crisis, I Am EcoWarrior.

A graduate of Vanderbilt University, Wes holds a Master’s in Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) from the University of Pennsylvania. He lives in Atlanta.

Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:

• SV Consulting Group
• Tamara Myles Consulting
• Connect with Wes on LinkedIn
• Connect with Tamara on LinkedIn
• Join the monthly digital subscription

Where to Listen

• Spotify
• Apple
• Google
• Amazon