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 StandardConnect with Dan on LinkedInSHRM 2022 Round-upWhat Happened to You? By Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah WinfreyJoin 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:URGEOWhat CEOs Talk About podcastConnect with Martin on LinkedInJoin 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 ExchangeThe Dream Manager by Matthew KellyJoin 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 LeadershipConnect with the Center for Compassionate Leadership on LinkedIn and TwitterFollow the Center for Compassionate Leadership on Instagram and FacebookBook your From Burnout to Hope talkJoin 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 ConsultingConnect with Sara on LinkedInThe Hard Side of Change Management - HBR articleJoin 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 LinkedInLife Labs LearningMental Health Skills TrainingJoin 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 MedicalConnect with Cerys on LinkedInMental Health Skills TrainingJoin 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 ListJoin the monthly digital subscriptionhttps://karlamclaren.com/emotional-vocabulary-page/Where to ListenSpotifyAppleGoogleAmazon

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 LinkedInEmail WesJoin the monthly digital subscriptionWhere to ListenSpotifyAppleGoogleAmazon

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 GroupTamara Myles ConsultingConnect with Wes on LinkedInConnect with Tamara on LinkedInJoin the monthly digital subscriptionWhere to ListenSpotifyAppleGoogleAmazon

Compassion and empathy are two words that are used interchangeably, and neither are necessarily accepted in the workplace. Sure, we all know the importance of taking personal experiences and challenges into consideration. But these are loaded words that aren't always accepted.The thing is, compassion and empathy are two different things. Compassion is about recognizing someone else's suffering while empathy is the response to that suffering. Compassion is inherent; humans naturally have this quality…until it's trained out of us. And that is a tragedy.This week on the podcast, I'm talking with Jane M. Chun, PhD about encouraging leaders and teams to be human at work by practicing compassion on the job. There's a whole field of compassion science and a movement toward more compassion and it felt so good to talk to someone whose whole career is built on compassion.In the episode, we talk about how leaders can be intentional about cultivating compassion, why changing your thinking about compassion might feel challenging, the difference between compassion and empathy, and why compassion is such a loaded word.About Jane M. Chun, PhD:Jane M. Chun is the Program Director overseeing Compassion Institute's work in the health and systems transformation sectors. Jane's expertise includes program development, change facilitation, partnership development, and research and learning.Jane has worked with intergovernmental and nonprofit organizations including UNICEF, UNDP, IOM, and Search for Common Ground, and has conducted research for institutions such as The Brookings Institution, Oxford Refugee Studies Center, and Viet Nam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.Throughout the pandemic, Jane and her team have supported the mental health of healthcare and public health workers on the front lines of the pandemic. Through her experience in a range of settings, she has come to believe that deep social and systems transformation can only occur hand-in-hand with inner transformation. Focusing primarily on WHAT we do is not enough. We need to also inquire into HOW and WHY we do that work.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:Compassion InstituteConnect with Jane on LinkedInSeason 5 Episode 1: Live the Life You LoveMental Health Skills TrainingJoin the monthly digital subscriptionWhere to ListenSpotifyAppleGoogleAmazon

Not all trainings and workshops are created equally, as I'm sure you can attest to. Meeting your audience where they're at, using language that they can relate to, is key.But leaders aren't born with the language they need to lead, and they often aren't taught it either. So we need to turn to tools and resources to help us out.This week on the podcast, I'm talking with Ken Cameron and Russell Stratton about their new book, I Need to F**king Talk to You: The Art of Navigating Difficult Workplace Conversations and the trainings they do in organizations. Psychological safety isn't a new conversation, but there's definitely more attention being paid to it and organizations are finally starting to seek out solutions. But like we've said here before, “trainings” with someone talking from the stage isn't going to crate change in leaders or team members. Instead, we need to create safe spaces where people can both practice having difficult conversations so the learnings transfer into the real workplace.Ken, Russell, and I talk through what this looks like and why front line workers in the trades are so good at it.About Russell Stratton:As the "Leadership Champ" Russell helps leaders EXCITE© their teams about their work. He believes that every leader has the potential to improve individual and team performance in their workplace. However, during his work with a great many leaders over 30 years, across a range of businesses, he's found that there is one particular challenge that holds them back - being able to have difficult conversations with team members, co-workers or even their boss.About Ken Cameron:One of Ken's clients gave him the title “Facilitator of Thinking Differently”, and he's proudly hung onto it ever since. Thinking Differently began in Ken's first career as one of Canada's most successful playwrights, directors and festival programmers. The unique combination allows him to create interactive and engaging sessions that result in key insights and eureka moments for your team.Ken comes to his creative approach as a consultant facilitator honestly. In addition to a Master of Fine Arts degree Ken is one of Canada's most successful playwrights, directors and arts administrators. Since 2012, Ken has used his creative background to design sessions that draw out all participants, especially the most introverted, who rarely have the opportunity to share their thoughts. He uses his administrative experience and endless curiosity, to fully understand the business so he can reframe your focus and increase your profitability. The unique combination leads to interactive and engaging sessions that result in key insights and eureka moments.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:I Need to F***ing Talk to You: The Art of Navigating Difficult Workplace Conversations by Russell Stratton and Ken CameronAmy Edmonson on Psychological SafetyJoin the monthly digital subscriptionWhere to ListenSpotifyAppleGoogleAmazon

How leaders show up matters. Many are on board with performing at a higher level and encouraging their teams to do the same. Unfortunately, organizations feel that they need to “fix” employees quickly. So they embrace one-and-done training programs that ultimately don't work.Change takes dedication and practice. The best wellness and mindset practices take time to become habits, especially when you want them to stick.This week on the podcast, I'm talking with Rico Gomez, mental health coach to high performing athletes and corporate leaders. He shares more about the process of building habits that result in resilient leaders and trusting teams.There's a lot of knowledge in this episode, including the value of accountability, leading teams to success, keeping senior leadership engaged, and the difference between between your brain and your mind.It's about the tools your leaders have and receive, and it's within all of them to grow.About Rico Gomez:Certified in mental health with a background of psychology and counselling, Rico Gomez is a mental health coach.His passion is to help working professionals become unstuck from the mental chaos in order experience life to the fullest. Rico's drive for mental health and well-being stems from his own battle with mental illness and being able to overcome the barriers of anxiety and depression.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:NeuroFitConnect with Rico on LinkedInJoin the monthly digital subscriptionWhere to ListenSpotifyAppleGoogleAmazon

It's great that employers are starting to offer mental health care in their benefits packages for employees, but not enough are on board with supporting their families' mental health. One thing parents want more than anything is to know their kids are okay and are getting the help they need. Thankfully, the tide might be turning in this arena. This week on the podcast, Haleigh Tebben of U.S.-based Brightline is sharing about how her organization is supporting children and how that's making all the difference at work.The stigma around getting mental health support is going away, especially after COVID, but parents spend more time and money finding resources to help their children than they do for themselves. It feels like a no-brainer to take this off of parents' plates so they can focus on themselves, which ultimately benefits their organization too.About Haleigh Tebben:Haleigh Tebben is the Chief Commercial Officer of Brightline, the leader in technology-enabled pediatric behavioral health care. In her role, she oversees all revenue-generating areas of the company, including sales, implementation, client success, marketing and health plan partnerships.Haleigh has over 20 years of experience in the health benefits and consulting industries. She previously served as the Chief Revenue Officer of Collective Health, a technology platform which enables employers to better manage their self-funded healthcare benefits. Prior to that, she led the Mercer Health & Benefits Practice in CA. She holds an MBA from UNO and received her undergraduate degree from Creighton University. Connect with Haleigh on LinkedIn.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:BrightlineFollow Brightline on Facebook and InstagramConnect with Brightline on LinkedIn and TwitterJoin the monthly digital subscriptionWhere to ListenSpotifyAppleGoogleAmazon

Leaders get to where they are because of their resiliency and drive. Their no-nonsense attitudes and their tireless approach to growth and development. Right?Maybe. But that kind of drive can also lead to burnout if leaders aren't careful about taking care of their whole selves. High stress jobs can lead to sleepless nights, missed meals, putting off exercise, poor nutrition, dehydration, myriad health problems, and more. Too much of that and leaders will find themselves just barely getting by.If this sounds all too familiar, you'll want to tune into this week's podcast episode with performance coach Deepak Saini. Staying healthy while performing at the peak of your professional career isn't as difficult as it might feel. It takes some habit stacking, paying attention to your energy, and trying out things that help you decompress so you can get the most important thing to your health…a good night's sleep.About Deepak Saini:Deepak Saini is a performance coach who knows what it is like to have a stressful corporate job, raising a family and trying to do the right things for his health.Eventually suffering from an autoimmune condition and injured back, these two health challenges ultimately became a turning point for him.He overcame those issues as well as his lifelong battle with obesity and brings a unique perspective to working with his clients.When this father of two is not spending time with his wife and little girls, he is researching and staying at the forefront of emerging and cutting-edge performance research.Deepak is also a speaker, course instructor, published writer and actively working on becoming a Centenarian.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:Season 2 Episode 9: Leadership Skills that Build Resilient Teams with Charmaine HammondEmail DeepakConnect with Deepak on LinkedInDeepak Saini HealthMental Health Skills TrainingJoin the monthly digital subscription

Technology can acquire a bad reputation in circles where the culture is all about people first. (Side note: All cultures should put people first.) But what people don't always consider is that technology can help us ensure our people are well taken care of and that our human resources team members aren't burdened with work that could actually be automated.After all, our HR staff members are people too.This week on the podcast, Kristie Dierig and I are talking about all the ways that technology can support the people in organizations, how to empower our HR leaders, and how psychological safety might look and feel different for remote teams. And all of this comes back to accountability. Who is responsible for the psychological safety of talent and how can managers, who may not be trained communicators, be more supportive of team members without looking and sounding performative?So many great insights into leading in the 21st century.About Kristie Dierig:Kristie is an experienced corporate HR director turned entrepreneur and consultant, on a mission to elevate HR's impact by putting people first and bringing HR trends to life. Connect with her on LinkedIn.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:Ever SparkJoin the monthly digital subscription

Your workplace is a giant learning laboratory, where we can study human behavior and changes over time. And that's exactly what this week's guest, Dr. Tiffany Jana, Doc Jana, has been doing over the last 25 years.Doc Jana does JEDI work with organizations, though not the kind you might be thinking of. JEDI is justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion and according to Doc Jana, most people didn't know what this work even was a handful of years ago.Today, it seems like everyone is talking about diversity work, and they should. But too many leaders and organizations are confused about what it should look like. Performative diversity hiring isn't fair for anyone, and leaders who don't recognize their own biases (which we all have) are part of the problem.What's the solution? Doing the work. And this is just part of my conversation with Doc Jana. We can't keep “checking the boxes;” we need to be clear about who we're serving and how we can best do that by creating benchmarks that make sense, then following through with them.There's always something to learn when it comes to diversity and the evolution of business. And this episode is no exception.About Dr. Tiffany Jana:Dr. Tiffany Jana (they/them/hers) is the founder and CEO of TMI's Portfolio companies, now celebrating 19 years championing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI). Doc Jana spearheaded the TMI Consulting Inc.'s transition into the world's first Certified Benefit Corporation (B Corp) with a diversity accountability focus. Doc Jana was awarded the B Corp community's highest honor, the Tal Haussig Award, for blazing a path towards JEDI values in action.As the Founder of TMI's Portfolio of companies, Doc Jana helps position the enterprise and our teams to best serve our myriad, complex client engagements. Doc Jana's vision is to redefine the future of inclusion; to manifest equity by creating an accountable, loving embrace of people and culture that includes an emphasis on liberation through joy. The workplace can and should be a welcoming, safe, and healthy environment where employees can thrive and grow. Doc Jana has been featured in numerous publications and media including Fast Company, NY Times, and Forbes for their work on diversity, equity, empowerment, and inclusion.They've done a TEDx on privilege and were named one of the Top 100 Leadership Speakers by Inc.com. Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:Subtle Acts of Exclusion: How to Understand, Identify, and Stop Microaggressions by Tiffany JanaOvercoming Biases: Build Authentic Relationships Across Differences by Tiffany JanaTMI ConsultingDoc JanaSeeking Equanimity PodcastJoin the monthly digital subscription

How do you define wellbeing? It has a lot of different meanings, and it really depends on what lens you're looking through. That brings a challenge to organizations or teams that are trying to do the work.Many organizations have taken roles in human resources and tacked on “wellbeing” supervisor responsibilities. They know they need someone in that role but aren't really willing to dedicate the necessary resources. And depending on what experience that new wellbeing professional has, this looks wildly different, even within different teams in the same organization.What can be done about this? Actually defining what wellbeing and wellness mean and creating space and time for the person in the role to perform effectively in this role.But to get to that point, the organization and its leaders need to be on board with the investment of time, talent, and resources. This week on the podcast, we're talking to Sarah McGuinness and Chris Hewitt of Revolutionaries of Wellbeing about changes in corporate wellness programs, why being proactive benefits everyone, and how to look at wellness through a different lens.About Sarah McGuinness:Sarah McGuinness is a wellbeing disruptor, burnout awareness advocate and Founder/CEO of Revolutionaries of Wellbeing (ROW). ROW helps wellbeing leaders to be change makers and to create better workplaces, together. With a community of wellbeing champions from organisations around the globe, ROW is dedicated to helping leaders to develop professional expertise, access practical tools and resources, and network with peers and experts to meaningfully improve wellbeing.Sarah brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in corporate wellbeing and behaviour change and has supported well-known organisations to improve the wellbeing of their people, including Sealord, the NHS, nib and Weta.She draws on her honours degree in psychology and degree in communication, training in health behaviour, coaching, fitness and facilitation, plus a 15+ year career in the corporate sector specialising in leadership and organisational development in Australia and New Zealand.She is a passionate mental health and wellbeing champion and is determined to reduce stigma and improve conversations around mental health, particularly with having lived experience of burnout, anxiety, and fibromyalgia. She has been featured in the media including on Stuff, NBR, Newshub/TV3, MiNDFOOD, Newstalk ZB and RNZ. Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn.About Chris Hewitt:Chris is ROW's Commercial Partnerships Manager and brings 15 years of experience in the professional development and events fields, with his most recent previous role managing a commercial portfolio of publications and events in the health, safety and wellbeing industry. He brings a wealth of programme management and commercial partnership experience, and has strong networks across the health, safety and wellbeing sectors both in New Zealand and overseas.He cares deeply about workplace wellbeing and is passionate about helping businesses lift their wellbeing performance. Connect with Chris on LinkedIn.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:Revolutionaries of Wellbeing (ROW)Join the monthly digital subscription

We talk about psychological safety a lot, but what does it even mean? That was the question Dave Sewell asked himself as he struggled in his former consulting gig. He watched teams leave toxic environments and it triggered something in him. Psychological aggression, the opposite of feeling safe at work, was running rampant among his clients. So he made a change. Before he truly defined psychological safety, he wrote the book on it. This week on the podcast, Dave and I talk about the science behind psychological aggression and why even subtle behaviors and responses can create an environment that doesn't feel safe. And he shares how to flip that narrative by recognizing the inherent good in others. This all starts at the leadership level, where leaders recognize the power of their own body language so they can take more ownership of their team behavior and performance.It's such an interesting conversation with real-world examples of what happens when we set out to work with humans, not grizzly bears!About Dave Sewell:Coming from a family of alcoholism and violence and being subjected in his early career to shame and ridicule, Dave has been fascinated why some leaders rule with the stick whilst other don't and why do companies have both types of leaders within their organisation at the same time?His research around high performing teams, in particular what causes dysfunctional teams, bullying and office politics is at the leading edge of our understanding. Dave demonstrates how to overcome these by embracing psychological safety, something that should be at the core of all leadership training.When he's not talking about leadership and helping teams, Dave spends his free time with his family; his wife Kirsty and his two sons Lachlan and Jamie.  His other interests are meditating and energetic healing, hiking, mountain biking and Xbox gaming. Connect with Dave on LinkedIn and follow him on Facebook.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:Join the monthly digital subscriptionSafe Leadership: Beating Stress to Drive Performance by Dave SewellThe Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth by Amy EdmonsonThe Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni

Toxic workplaces persist, even in the face of organizations working in DEIB and trying to create cultures of organizational safety. The challenge is that there's a knowledge gap. It's difficult to hold individual leaders accountable for their behaviors when it's normalized for them.The problem isn't a lack of knowledge and doesn't require a training of our leaders; it's an unlearning that needs to happen, a gaining of wisdom that only happens through talking to others about how you and your behavior impacts them.On this week's podcast, Dr. Kevin Sansberry II and I are talking about how to eliminate toxic workplaces, why they persevere, and what lived experiences and privilege has to do with it.One of the big messages to take away from this episode is that if it matters to one person, it matters. So if one person recognizes there's a disconnect in behavior or communication, leaders need to own that and do something about it.This is a powerful conversation, and when we own our behaviors and shift our mindsets, we can make Mondays a whole lot less stressful.About Dr. Kevin Sansberry II:Dr. Kevin Sansberry II is a behavioral scientist and executive coach whose inspiring work is driven by the need for evidence-based, inclusive, and equitable approaches to urgently and proactively transform and coach leaders, eradicating toxic behaviors that threaten profitability, innovation, and the overall wellbeing.Kevin is regularly sought after to speak, consult, and coach organizations around the world related to his expertise in toxic leadership and toxic organizational culture.Kevin has experience in various settings such as professional sports, higher education, nonprofits, sales, and other large complex organizations. Kevin has written extensively on topics in various areas such as CEO narcissism, abusive supervision, workplace authenticity and is the creator and host of the top podcast focused on toxic leadership, The Toxic Leadership Podcast which reached as high as the number four nonprofit podcast in the United States in 2021.Kevin earned his doctorate in business administration from The University of Missouri-St. Louis where he focused on the impact of abusive supervision on organizational culture/climate, and employee coping behaviors. Kevin received his MBA from The University of Missouri-Kansas City with an emphasis in leadership & change in human systems and general management and his undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Central Missouri.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:360 Degree TemplateMental Health Skills TrainingJoin the monthly digital subscription

What if your employees and future leaders didn't struggle with challenges at home or with their finances? Do you think they'd perform better at work?According to this week's guests, they sure would! And they have the data to back it up.Everyone brings stress and anxiety to work. It's a normal part of being human. But when leaders and aspiring leaders spend too much time in stressful situations they're not as effective in their roles. Coaching can help, and organizations that offer coaching to employees help to improve the humans in their charge which creates better results for the company. It's a win-win and we don't do it enough. This week on the podcast, Zach Smith and Rod McDermott of Activate 180 share why it's so important to provide coaching for employees, no matter where they are in the organization. Especially now, with so many leaders leaving and younger employees moving up quickly to fill their roles.This conversation is so hopeful for the potential of organizations overall and the teams and individuals the organizations support. Coaching isn't designed to improve performance that might be lacking; it's for helping team members show up as their best selves to help maximize their impact in the company.About Zach Smith:Zach Smith is the Chief Activation Officer + Co-Founder of Activate 180. He has been a trusted voice in mindset, career optimization, and leadership coaching for over 10 years. Zach has coached thousands of employees across mid-market and enterprise-level organizations, aligning their careers with true calling and passion to create total life fulfillment.Before becoming an award-winning coach, Zach spent more than 10 years in senior marketing and client relationship management roles for well-known, international consumer beverage brands. Zach trained with the Ascension Leadership Academy's coaching program, graduating from their highest level course. He is a sought-after keynote speaker who regularly appears before audiences at industry conferences and events.About Rod McDermott:Rod McDermott is the CEO + Co-Founder of Activate 180, which helps companies elevate employee performance, productivity, and happiness through affordable coaching for all; the CEO + Co-Founder of McDermott + Bull, one of the fastest-growing executive search firms in North America with offices domestically and internationally; the President + CEO of M+B Interim Leaders, which he founded along with Angela Anderson in 2011 to address an increased client need for time-sensitive solutions to important leadership challenges; and the Founder of the M+B Executive Network, a community of in-transition senior-level executives seeking guidance to land their next role, serving over 10,000 members since inception.Rod has been an entrepreneur for over 20 years, growing companies from the ground up and challenging industry norms. His ultimate goal is to meaningfully contribute to the greater good, which is showcased through his passion for hard work, fostering relationships, and conceptualizing solutions for professional development.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:Mental Health Skills TrainingJoin the monthly digital subscription

The humans in your organization are the most important asset you have. It's essential that you take care of them, especially as we come out of the pandemic. There's an overwhelming feeling of isolation that employees felt in the last few years and the confusion of today is causing the isolation to linger.What's a leader to do? Go back to foundations. Empathy is the single most important skill that leaders can and should use to ensure that employees feel safe and heard. Unfortunately, empathy is also a skill that we've been trained out of using in the workplace.This week on the podcast, I'm talking with Jim Link, chief human resources officer at the Society for Human Resource Management. This is the conversation that will change your mind about having mental health conversations at work, if I haven't already convinced you. We talk about why mental health support will save your organization money, how to engage leaders in conversations around supporting employees in this way, and how tech can free up the HR managers' time so they can be the empathetic people person they want to be.So many ah-ha moments to be had here! About Jim Link:Jim Link is the Chief Human Resources Officer for SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management. Jim's experience includes roles of increasing responsibility in human resources, mergers and acquisitions, and operational effectiveness. His personal interests include talent acquisition management, employee and leadership development, equality and equity, employee engagement, internal innovation, and driving rapid business scalability through both organic and inorganic, often complex, growth opportunities.Born and raised on a working family farm, Link brings an agile, transparent, can-do approach to his client's needs. Equally effective from manufacturing floor to board room, his natural curiosity and resourcefulness generates long lasting relationships that drive value creation and sustainable business results.As a recognized thought leader in human capability and the future of work, Jim is a sought-after commentator with the national and international press, features widely on the lecture and speaker circuit, and consults with leaders, companies and boards of directors around the world on matters related to the workplace. Additionally, he is in his tenth year as an adjunct professor teaching Human Resources Strategy in the MBA program at the Poznan School of Economics in Poznan, Poland and entering his second year teaching the same topic to graduate students in Yangon, Myanmar.While serving on boards of advisors for several early-stage companies, Jim is a board member of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) Foundation and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Human Capital Advisory Council. He is active with a number of charitable organizations in his community and is certified as a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:Join the monthly digital subscriptionMental Health for Leaders TrainingLifeGuides

When we take care of our leaders and their mental health, we're all able to show up as our best selves--at work and at home. As leaders in human resources, we can do this by unlocking potential by supporting them to growth their mental health skills - in empathy, leadership, and coping with challenges.This is important because organizations that are viewed as highly empathetic have employees that are more likely to positively talk about their company to friends, peers, and families. And organizations that truly focus on culture are twice as likely to retain their employees.We're in a world of change, with the great resignation and the lesser-talked about great retirement. Both are impacting the workplace in ways we couldn't have predicted.This week on the podcast, I'm happy to share this and more with you from Dr. Alexander Alonso, the Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM) Chief Knowledge Cfficer. We're talking about unlocking leadership potential, the benefits of having taboo conversations, why we need to hold onto our talent, and so much more. Alex also shares more about the conversations he had at the recent SHRM conference and his newest book about making the most of polarizing conversations.About Alexander Alonso:Alexander Alonso, PhD, SHRM-SCP is the Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM's) Chief Knowledge Officer leading operations for SHRM's Certified Professional and Senior Certified Professional certifications, research functions, and the SHRM Knowledge Advisor service.   He is responsible for all research activities, including the development of the SHRM Competency Model and SHRM credentials.  During his career, he has worked with numerous subject matter experts worldwide with the aim of identifying performance standards, developing competency models, designing organizational assessments, and conducting job analyses.   He was also responsible for working on contract task orders involving the development of measurement tools for content areas such as job knowledge (like teacher knowledge of instructional processes) and organizational climates (like organizational climate forecasting in military health care).Throughout his career, he has published works in peer-reviewed journals such as Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Perspectives on Science and Practice, Journal of Applied Psychology, International Journal of Selection and Assessment, People and Strategy, Personality and Individual Differences, Quality and Safety in Health Care, and Human Resources Management Review.  He has also authored several chapters on community-based change initiatives in workforce readiness, as well as co-authoring Defining HR Success: A Guide to the SHRM Competency Model in Practice.Dr. Alonso also served as a columnist analyzing major trends in the workforce for The Industrial Psychologist and HR Magazine. In addition, he has served on several professional society boards including the SIOP and the Personnel Testing Council of Metropolitan Washington. Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:Talking Taboo: Making the Most of Polarizing Discussions at Work by Alexander AlonsoThink Again by Adam GrantWendi Safstrom: The Need to Prioritize Mental Health at WorkMental Health Skills TrainingJoin the monthly digital subscription

I recently attended the Society of Human Resources Management conference (SHRM) in New Orleans, Louisiana and had the pleasure of attending many sessions and connecting with a handful of speakers talking about mental health in the workplace. Of course you know this is my happy place!If you listened to Season 5 of the podcast, you can listen in to those conversations. Nicole Butts and I talked about organizational justice, Wendi Safstrom shared about the need to prioritize mental health at work, and Daryll Bryant talked about how to flourish at work. Of course, there were many other episodes in Season 5, all equally important.The theme of the conference was Cause the Effect You Want to See, and Jeaneen Andrews-Feldman, chief marketing and experience officer for SHRM talked about this on the first episode of the season. I talk about some of my own biggest takeaways from the conference on this week's episode, and they include connection, culture, and employee experience. And I wanted to hear from some of the attendees about their takeaways too.Listen in as I get feedback from five attendees and they share their answers to the questions:What is the top mental health skill HR leaders need to know?What is greatest opportunity for employers in the future of work?Where would you start if you were asked to elevate employee experience with greatest impact?Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:Wendi Safstrom: The Need to Prioritize Mental Health at WorkJeaneen Andrews-Feldman: Cause the Effect You Want to SeeRob Whalen, PTO ExchangeDan Murdoch, NayyaDr. Margarida Rafael, WorkzingaJosh Tolleson, University of Louisiana at MonroeBlink by Malcolm GladwellSHRM Annual Conference & ExpoMental Health Skills Training

Countless studies have shown that laughing is a good way to relieve stress. And even if we love our job and our teammates, there's always an element of stress in the workplace.So why not find ways to spice it up with some humor?According to Greg Schwem, comedian and corporate speaker, humor is disappearing from the corporate world just when we need it the most. Organizations are shying away from using humor of any kind for fear of offending someone. But the reality is that the positive benefits of humor far outweigh the negative ramifications.Human resource departments are charged with fostering a fun and healthy work envioronment. Employee experience is a huge part of that. On this episode, Greg shares how organizations can improve the employee experience through humor without risking offensive jokes. We talk about the best kind of humor to use, why humor and laughing is so good for us, how to navigate the fine line between good humor and bad humor, and what role communication plays in humor at work.Greg's presentation at the SHRM conference is Is it Okay to Laugh, and after listening you're certain to say a resounding yes.About Greg Schwem:HuffPost calls Greg Schwem "Your boss's favorite comedian." He has spent 25 years making the business world laugh at itself, with clients ranging from Microsoft to the CIA.  He will be addressing the SHRM 2022 conference with his latest keynote, "You Can't Cancel Laughter."  Greg has appeared on Comedy Central, Drybar Comedy, opened for musical superstars such as Celine Dion and Keith Urban and can be heard regularly on SIRIUS/XM Radio's Laugh USA. Follow Greg on Instagram and Facebook and connect with him on LinkedIn.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:Greg's talk at the SHRM22 Conference - You Can't Cancel Laughter: Understanding How Stifling Workplace Humor Can Also Stifle Creativity and RetentionSHRM Annual Conference & ExpoMental Health Skills Training

The reality of the pandemic has impacted the workplace in many ways the past couple years, some more expected than others. One thing that leaders are finding is that after so much time working from home and being more vulnerable, employees are looking to have a more genuine connection with their coworkers. Gone are the days of putting on your work persona before clocking in. People are expecting authenticity, openness, and organizations that value them for who they are.Along with this cultural shift, it's important for leadership to learn how to be compassionate. What does being a compassionate leader mean? Why is it beneficial to your, your people, and your organization? Can you just learn how to be a compassionate leader?Today I'm joined by Marissa Afton, compassionate leader expert, and she answers these questions and more. Marissa explains the difference between compassion and empathy (and why we need both) and the different types of compassionate leaders she's found in her work. Tune in to learn how having a human-focused approach will lead to more success for your team and less burnout for yourselfAbout Marissa Afton:Marissa Afton is a driving force behind leadership development and change initiatives at multinational companies. She helps leaders and organizations unlock their potential to create cultural excellence and superior performance, resilience, and innovation.A mindfulness practitioner for over 25 years, Marissa is recognized for her breadth of knowledge and deep experience in transforming organizations by transforming the mind. She is a sought-after speaker at leading HR and leadership conferences about the impact of mind training on high-performance cultures, as well as the mental qualities of excellent leaders. She has worked with leading companies, including Accenture, Bloomberg, Cisco, Eli Lilly, and others.Marissa is co-author of Compassionate Leadership: How to Do Hard Things in a Human Way (HBR Press 2022). She also has written articles for various publications, including Harvard Business Review and Fast Company.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:Potential ProjectSHRM ConferenceCompassionate Leadership: How to Do Hard Things in a Human WayInsight by Tasha EurichFind Potential Project on LinkedInMarissa's talk at the SHRM22 Conference - Compassionate Leadership: How to Do Hard Things in Human WaysSHRM Annual Conference & ExpoMental Health Skills Training

With an increasing number of employees leaving their organizations as part of the Great Resignation, it's more important than ever that we as people leaders create an environment where employees feel valued and want to be. A great way to do this is by developing your influence in the workplace, over your people, work culture, and organization.Today I'm joined by Vivian Blade, leadership expert and thought leader, to discuss skills and tactics that leaders can use to have more influence in the workplace, including influencing up the ladder, and how to leverage that influence for your own mental health. By utilizing these tactics and developing these skills, we can create workplaces with higher trust, engagement, and psychological safety.Listen in as Vivian details the Influence with SCALE framework and what being influential really means, so we can start leveraging our influence for positive change today.About Vivian Blade:Recognized as one of Engagedly's Top 100 Global HR Influencers of 2021, Vivian Blade is a sought-after leadership expert and thought leader. She works with the world's top brands to build better, more resilient workplaces, equipping leaders to solve the pressing burnout, turnover, and workplace culture challenges your company is struggling with right now. Her impact is felt as a frequent keynote speaker, and in delivering transformative leadership development programs, executive and team coaching, and corporate consulting. She also works in academia as an Adjunct Professor of Leadership and Project Management for the University of Louisville College of Business.Vivian is the author of four books, most recently the Amazon #1 best-seller Resilience Ready: The Leader's Guide to Thriving Through Unrelenting Crises, and Influence in Talent Development.To learn more you can visit Vivian's website and connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:Vivian's websiteInfluence with ScaleResilience ReadyFuelforwardVivian's talk at the SHRM22 Conference - SCALE Your Influence: How to Elevate Your Influence, Respect, and Impact in HRSHRM Annual Conference & ExpoMental Health Skills Training

Communication feels very different when we're working virtually. But even through we're screen-to-screen, we still need to be respectful and have expectations and guidelines around what's appropriate and what's not.We've learned from the last few years that it's easy to feel isolated when we're not in-person. So regular check-ins and conversations is essential. But what does that look like? And how do you communicate with others who don't have their cameras on?On this episode of the podcast, Lorie Reichel-Howe of Conversations in the Workplace is talking about just that. With so many different cultures in every workplace, we need to have these conversations so we can set norms that work for everyone. Lorie shares scripts you can use to start difficult conversations, what it means to host a true training around conversations, and some examples of boundaries that get crossed in both virtual and in-person conversations.What's so interesting about this interview and Lorie's presentation for SHRM is that this may not have been a conversation we had too often prior to the pandemic. It's a critical one now!About Lorie Reichel-Howe:Lorie Reichel-Howe is founder of Conversations in the Workplace. She equips managers, teams, and business professionals to have “Safe Conversations” – transformative dialogue that uncovers hidden workplace issues. Whether addressing challenging team dynamics, mismanaged expectations,  cultural insensitivity, or good old-fashioned bad behavior, “Safe Conversations” foster greater innovation, inclusion, and collaboration within organizations.With over 20 years of experience in communications and relationship management, training and development, Lorie is passionate about supporting organizations in creating a culture where people love where they work and love the people they work with.Lorie is a professional mediator and conflict coach. She has supported organizations such as Pinterest, SHRM, PIHRA, HR.com, Pinterest, Women in Technology International, Los Angeles Women's Leadership Conference, Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles, Santa Clara Superior Court, San Jose State University, Santa Clara County Office of Education and many more. Connect with her on LinkedIn.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:Lorie's talk at the SHRM22 Conference - Creating a Culture of Respect While Working Remotely SHRM Annual Conference & ExpoMental Health Skills Training

There's a common misconception about leadership, and that's that we're paid to be rational and not emotional. But in reality, our emotions are what make us human. And don't we want human leaders who constantly push their feelings down. For one, it's physically unhealthy. And for another, it doesn't open up the space for others to feel included and like their emotions matter. Because they do.On this episode of the podcast, Javier Santos is sharing about emotional technology, the evidence that shows us the value of neuropsychoanalysis and how our brains map memories to make life easier for us in the future.This episode is fascinating because we haven't always had the brain science behind what psychologists suspected all along. Now that we do, we can utilize that knowledge to understand how our emotions work and set ourselves up for success. Javier and I discuss neuroplasticity and our changing brains, the implications on our health if we push back our emotions, how our brains are wired to save energy, and how emotions and inclusion are connected.About Javier Santos:Javier Santos is a Canadian diverse entrepreneur and international speaker on mental and emotional health at work. Javier redefines what is possible by using our emotional capital to become happier and more productive at work. He founded The House of Purpose to help companies improve the human and subjective side of work, affected today by burnout, unresolved conflicts, and prejudices.Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:Connect with Javier on LinkedInThe House of PurposeJavier's talk at the SHRM22 Conference - Mental Health and Inclusion - Use Emotional Technology in Your D and I Transformation Strategy SHRM Annual Conference & ExpoMental Health Skills Training

As leaders, we know the importance of giving feedback. Our teams need to know how they're doing so everyone can work better…more efficiently and at a higher level of excellence.But what about receiving feedback? It matters how our teams receive the feedback we give them, and how we, the leaders, receive feedback ourselves.It could take a lot for a team member to come forward and give honest and open feedback to their manager, even if that leader asks for it so it's essential that they feel safe to do so. Simply telling them it's safe isn't enough - leaders have an opportunity to grow a culture of psychological safety through open and proactive communication.On this episode of Mental Health for Leaders, Dr. Teresa Peterson is sharing more about receiving feedback and building trust. She shares what trust-building really looks like, why language is so important, and why organizations are truly centers for relationships. She also gives listeners some of the language leaders can use to respond to the feedback they receive in a productive way.About Teresa Peterson:Dr. Teresa Peterson is the Director of Learning and Development for Sarah Noll Wilson, Inc. Teresa is passionate about applying best practices for learning to make development experiences meaningful, engaging, and accessible for all types of learners. In her role, Teresa co-creates powerful learning content and guides deep research. Teresa holds a Doctorate in Education from the University of Northern Iowa and brings over twenty years of experience teaching, facilitating, and leading. People love Teresa's grounded energy, depth of thought, and ability to listen deeply. Teresa is trained in Immunity to Change coaching and is completing her certification in Appreciative Inquiry. Connect with her on LinkedIn.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:Language of Mental Health - join the monthly digital subscriptionSuper Soul Sunday - Anatomy of TrustEmail TeresaTeresa's talk at the SHRM22 Conference - More Than Feedback: How Receiving Feedback Can Impact Trust and SafetySHRM Annual Conference & ExpoMental Health Skills Training

On a human level, we know that we all have struggles. But the definition of a good leader is not someone who leaves everything at home because they need to be seen as strong and impactful. In fact, vulnerability is a much more important trait of leadership. It's just one component of helping teams flourish at work.Organizations and leaders need to be more aware than ever about the changing workforce. New technology and new workers are allowing teams to work more efficiently and more autonomously. But when old school politics and practices get in the way, workers don't feel supported or appreciated. Add to that the growing awareness of mental health and psychological safety and team members at all levels are reevaluating life and work and making big changes.On this episode of the Mental Health for Leaders podcast, coach Daryll Bryant is sharing what organizations and leaders can do to support the mental health and safety of teams so both the organization and employees can flourish. He shares a personal example that helped reframe his own view of mental health awareness and conversations.Everyone deserves to flourish. Are you giving your employees the ability to do just that?About Daryll Bryant:Daryll Bryant is a transformational leader with a distinguished career in manufacturing, providing outstanding results for several Fortune 100 companies.  He has a vast repository of high-level skill sets as a Lean manufacturing operations expert and change leader.Daryll's passion is in supporting operations efforts to increase productivity, reduce costs and grow profits using his ™ “The Winning With Excellence System'.  As a Coach, his approach is to guide leaders to leverage team engagement to unlock the collective genius of their people. Connect with Daryll on LinkedIn.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:OptimizeUDaryll's talk at the SHRM22 Conference - Reimaging the Future of Work: How Leaders Can Promote FlourishingSHRM Annual Conference & ExpoMental Health Skills Training

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is a hot topic right now and one that a lot of organizations have begun to address. But are they really doing the work? Not always, says podcast guest Nicole Yeldell Butts.We know that diversity work is necessary but the challenge is getting leaders to do the work alongside the organization. It's not a box to be checked or a meeting that needs to be held. DEI work needs to be part of an organization's values and day-to-day operations.In this episode, we talk about the fear of pushback when you start talking about diversity, why it's okay to get it wrong (because you will), the role of organizational justice in your DEI work, and the future of diversity work. Nicole shares her framework around creating systemic, effective, and sustainable cultural change in your organization.About Nicole L. Yeldell Butts:Nicole Butts is an accomplished Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) executive, strategist, coach, facilitator, and public speaker who specializes in transforming executives into inclusive and equitable organizational leaders. As a facilitator of learning and challenging cultural dialogues, Nicole creates welcoming and safe spaces for people to engage, explore, and grow.During her 20-year career, she has built multiple inaugural DEI offices while serving as a chief diversity officer, a director of employee diversity, inclusion, and climate and a director of equal employment.Nicole is the founder of NLYB Solutions, a DEI consulting firm helping executives, executive teams, and organizations courageously and effectively navigate personal, professional, and organizational DEI journeys. She is the creator of SHIFT, a transformational five-step framework for creating systemic, effective, measurable and sustainable DEI cultures.NLYB Solutions was recognized as a Top Ten Emerging Diversity & Inclusion Company of 2021 by HR Tech Outlook magazine. Connect with her on LinkedIn and find out more on her website.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:Mental Health for Leaders podcast episode with Lindsay Harle-Kadatz – Values as ActionNicole's talk at the SHRM22 Conference – SHIFT: A Framework for Transformational Cultural Change SHRM Annual Conference & ExpoMental Health Skills Training

The world is different than it was 3 years ago, and it is different than it will be 3 years from now. Change is a constant in life and business alike, and as people leaders it's an opportunity that we get to intentionally adapt to these changes along the way.Today on the podcast, Jennifer McClure joins me to answer questions about what changes HR leadership has faced over the years and how it will continue to change into the future. With an emphasis on skills like problem solving, integrity, and relationship building, it's clear that the way forward is by prioritizing our people and their mental health. Tune in as Jennifer shares what mental health skills forward-thinking HR professionals need, how they can learn these skills even when it's not in the budget, and how we can help them navigate their way forward without them burning out.About Jennifer McClure:Jennifer McClure is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and high-performance coach who works with leaders to leverage their influence, increase their impact, and accelerate results. Frequently recognized as a global influencer and expert on the future of work, strategic leadership and innovative people strategies, Jennifer has decades of in-the-trenches leadership and executive experience working in and with startups, privately held companies, and Fortune 500 organizations in a variety of industries. Jennifer is also the Chief Excitement Officer of DisruptHR, a global community designed to move the collective thinking forward when it comes to talent in the workplace, and the host of the Impact Makers Podcast with Jennifer McClure.You can connect with Jennifer on LinkedIn, and follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:Jennifer's websiteDisruptHR eventsSHRM Conference Join the monthly digital subscription

What if we all approached conversations with others with respect, empathy, and maturity? Just think of all we could accomplish together! We would all win!Every one of us has a different lived experience and we all see things differently from one another. At the same time, we all have biases. We tend to gravitate toward people who look like us and who we were surrounded by as we were growing up.In short, we're all human. And we need to move outside our comfort zones if we want to see change in the world. When we get comfortable with change, we allow ourselves to grow and develop. As leaders, this is essential.On this episode of the Mental Health for Leaders podcast, guest Kenston Hendersion is sharing about bias, approaching conversations with an open mind, why leaning into discomfort is a good thing, and how to do right by your employees. He also shares an amazing resource that can help you identify your own biases so you can start to do something about them.About Kenston Henderson:This week's guest is Kenston Henderson Sr. aka "The Bias Disrupter" and " The Winning Conversations Enthusiast". He is the founder and CEO of Live With Lyfe, LLC, is a TEDx Signature Speaker, a certified John Maxwell Leadership Speaker and Trainer, Culture Transformation Champion, and certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid USA. He is also a speaker at the upcoming SHRM conference being held in New Orleans in June of 2022.Kenston has over 18 years of experience in Human Resources coaching and training leaders and teams to communicate and play well together. Kenston delivers impactful, on-time, and action-packed speaking and training messages.Kenston is one of the most sought after Corporate and Youth motivational speakers and trainers around the world. He is enthusiastic, dynamic, and engaging. Since the pandemic, his impact has extended virtually to international areas in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. His most recent talk was given live in Nairobi Kenya. Kenston also received the ICN Dr. Astell Generation Leadership Award. I think you'll really enjoy Kenston's insights so on with the show.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:Harvard Implicit Association TestCreating Culture of Racial Equity in Workplace - courseJoin the monthly digital subscription

Nobody is immune to mental health issues, and they affect all aspects of your life. Even your physical and economical vitality (or lack thereof) can be linked to your mental health. That's why it is so important for organizations to make mental health in the workplace a priority, especially as we work together to try and establish a “new normal” in the wake of the pandemic.Earlier this year, the Society for Human Resource Management Foundation published a report detailing the current state of mental health in the workplace. Today, Wendi Safstrom, President of the SHRM Foundation, joins me to discuss the findings of this study and why mental health and wellness needs to be prioritized within organizations. Wendi also shares ways to get senior leadership engaged in the process, and how you can implement these conversations and programs into your business—even if you feel you lack the tools and resources to do so.As you prioritize employee mental health, your people and organizations will thrive. Tune in to learn more and see what's next for SHRM.About Wendi Safstrom:Wendi Safstrom is a senior non-profit leader committed to serving the public through philanthropic program management, cultivating strategic partnerships and managing and developing high performing teams. She has both association and nonprofit management experience including; national program development and administration, membership strategy, marketing and product development, grant management, development and donor stewardship, and leading cross functional teams. Safstrom currently serves as President for the Society for Human Resource Management Foundation (SHRM Foundation), where she leads the development and implementation of SHRM Foundation's programmatic, development, and marketing and communication strategies in support of SHRM Foundation's new mission and vision, creating growth plans and ensuring alignment with SHRM goals.Prior to assuming the role at SHRM Foundation, Safstrom served as Vice President at the National Restaurant Association and National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, where she led the development and implementation of their Foundation's most recent five-year strategic plan, and was responsible for all Foundation programming, including workforce development initiatives, scholarship and event management, community relations and engagement initiatives. In 2016, she served as lead project director for the development of a $10 million contract awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor to develop the hospitality industry's first apprenticeship program, and was instrumental in the Foundation's reorganization and relocation of operations from Chicago, Illinois to Washington, D.C., transforming the staff and culture.Safstrom has also held human resource management roles with the Leo Burnett Company and Hyatt Hotels Corporation in Chicago, Illinois. She has a BS in Business Administration from the Eli Broad School of Business at Michigan State University and was recognized as a member of the 2014 "Power 20" by Restaurant Business Magazine as a leader in philanthropy within the restaurant industry. Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:Society for Human Resource Management FoundationMental Health in America: A 2022 Workplace ReportHR Resource HubSociety for Human Resources ManagementSHRM Annual Conference & ExpoMental Health Skills Training

Organizations can't survive without people. And HR professionals have the privilege to and responsibility for starting conversations, creating influence, and leading the cause and effect that happens in our organizations.When we empower employees and support them through challenges and adversity, encouraging them to grow and develop themselves personally and professionally, they get to make an impact on those around them--in the office and at home.On this episode, chief marketing and experience officer of the Society for Human Resource Management Jeaneen Andrews-Feldman talks about the role of human resources in business today and why it's so important that we create a ripple effect with our work.Jeaneen also shares some more background about the SHRM conference in June: who's on the schedule, what attendees will get out of it, and how SHRM is helping to spearhead hope and mental health conversations at work.About Jeaneen Andrews-Feldman:As Chief Marketing and Experience Officer, Andrews-Feldman is responsible for all activities related to conceptualizing and implementing market strategy and achieving marketing targets. She is responsible for providing executive leadership and management of SHRM's marketing activities worldwide. Andrews-Feldman is a marketing executive and business strategist with 30 years of experience in both B2B and B2C organizations. Prior to joining SHRM, she was Senior Vice President, Marketing at Merkle Inc., leading the marketing strategy and execution for the performance marketing agency, where over the course of 5 years, she transformed the marketing organization into a strategic asset to the business while gaining recognition with multiple Stevie Awards for marketing and customer experience programs. Previously, Andrews-Feldman was the Head of Global Product and Channel Marketing at the Corporate Executive Board (CEB). While there, she architected the marketing organization to support 7 practice areas and 54 programs for both acquisition and retention marketing. She also cofounded two marketing-related entrepreneurial ventures in suburban Washington, D.C., one of which was acquired by AES, Inc. Earlier in her career, Andrews-Feldman spent more than 10 years in the telecommunications industry at both Sprint and AT&T.She holds a Bachelor of Science in marketing from the University of Scranton and attended Cornell University's Executive Management Program while at AT&T.Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:Season 5, Episode 1: Mental Health Skills You Need To KnowMental Health for LeadersFREEBIE: Guide to Influence & Impact at WorkSociety for Human Resources ManagementSHRM Annual Conference & ExpoMental Health Skills Training

Focusing on mental health in the workplace is becoming more and more of a priority for organizations and our people and our company bottom lines are benefiting greatly from this focus. As People Leaders and HR professionals, I think there's been a gap in our skills training to really know how to best navigate this new world of work and that's where this episode of the podcast comes in to help fill that gap.In this first episode of the season, I'm going to share with you the top mental health skills we could all use to be our best selves at work and encourage brilliance in those around us as well. This is also a special episode for another reason – it will kick off this extra-special season of the podcast with a focus on SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management, and SHRM's upcoming conference in June of 2022 in New Orleans, LA. The rest of the season will introduce you to conference organizers, leading researchers and ten of the conference speakers, all sharing their brilliant and action-inducing thoughts around the mental health skills we all need to be successful. This is season five of the podcast and with this season, I've changed the focus – from only focusing on helping you find the words, space and opportunity to have mental health conversations at work, to also focusing on you as the fabulous leader you are. This episode, and all the ones following, will give you the mental health skills you need to be successful in your role in your workplace but more importantly, to be successful in your other roles too – as family members, friends, community members and all the other roles you play in your life. We're going to focus on your mental health so you can learn and live these new skills out loud, encouraging others to also take care of their mental health.

Society has set us up for failure. With the glorification of busyness and the pressure to check things off the list, we don't have time to do the most important work: the strategy and innovation organizations need to be successful.But there's a small shift starting to happen, one that allows for slowing down to speed up. Because individuals and organizations are starting to see that busy mode isn't sustainable. It's a recipe for burnout and resignations.We feel the need to constantly be busy because we feel like we don't deserve the success that we have or strive for. But we do, and this week's guest is here to tell us why.Listen in to Jess share how to start getting past imposter syndrome and what organizations can do to support team members at all levels. (Spoiler alert: having conversations is top on that list.)It's time we stop glorifying working through lunch, taking work home, and skipping vacations and start balancing life with some work…not the other way around. About Jess Stuart:Jess Stuart, International speaker, coach and author of five personal development books specialising in mindset, performance and women in leadership.  A well known Imposter Syndrome expert with a background in Senior Human Resources roles and a decade working in leadership development. A brush with burnout in her corporate career lead Jess across the world to train with Buddhist monks and Nuns.  A decade later, after coming out, writing five books and running her own successful business she shares what she knows about mind-set, resilience and self-belief to empower people to unlock their potential.Highly acclaimed event speaker featured on TV3, BBC, RNZ, Dominion Post, Stuff and NZ Business Magazine.  Described as inspiring, articulate and relatable by audiences.  Jess has a passion for sharing her knowledge and motivating others with her words. Follow her on Instagram, connect with her on LinkedIn, and subscribe to her YouTube channel.Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:Jess's WebsiteBurnout to Brilliance by Jess StuartWhat is imposter syndrome and how can you compat it? - TED-EdJoin the monthly digital subscription

You remember being taught that each person is unique and different and special in their own way. That's still true. And organizations are finally catching up.We know that we all react differently to different situations and we need different tools to succeed. Opening the door to those conversations not only supports neurodiverse employees, but entire teams benefit. And are more successful as a result.This week on the pdocast, Chris Turner of Neuro Advantage is sharing what those conversations might look like and how to get them started. And he normalizes the differences we can't see among team members.There are so many misconceptions around why one person might react differently to adversity than another. Let's start the conversation or, better yet, let's just assume that we all need support in some way.About Chris Turner:Chris is the Founder of Neuro Advantage - an inclusion training practice supporting organisations to learn how to be inclusive of Neurodivergent job seekers and employees.As a parent of an autistic child and with a career of more than 18 years across commercial disciplines Chris understands the challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals along with the organisational need for innovation and productivity.Neuro Advantage's mission is to break down the barriers of uncertainty and confusion for employers when it comes to neurodiversity inclusion. By making the complexity of neurodiversity more relatable and presenting ideas through personal stories and experiences, Chris' goal is to help more people feel confident to support neurodivergent colleagues and to help neurodivergent employees with a range of strategies to find workplace success. Through increased inclusion, organisations and team stand to gain from the advantages that neurodiversity inclusion brings.Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:Connect with Chris on LinkedInJoin the monthly digital subscription

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 19.7 million American adults (anyone over the age of 12) was battling a substance use disorder in 2017. Imagine how that statistic has changed in the years since, especially as we've navigated our lives through massive transformation and change.If your organization has any number of people working within it, there's a high likelihood someone is struggling with addiction. Some may be highly functioning, some may be getting the help they need and others may be staying silent in shame, unsure of the steps to take next. Addiction doesn't discriminate and as humans, we need all the compassion and support we can offer each other, especially in our greatest times of need. This week on the podcast, Joe Gardzina of Brazos Place and Adapt Programs in Texas is sharing how to avoid stigmatizing language when talking about addiction, how to be a supportive organization, and why we should lean on treatment and support rather than rigid consequences for those struggling with substance use.Conversations are important, as is appropriate treatment and trauma-informed care. This episode is as real as it gets and is an important one for anyone who leads people, whether you suspect substance use or not. The conversation is compassionate, intelligent and practical - love to hear what you think.About Joe Gardzina:Joe began his career in 1993 as a psychiatric technician at a Houston aftercare facility. Mr. Gardzina became an LCDC in 1996. Joe is Board Certified by the Texas Certification Board of Addiction Professionals. In addition, he is certified as both an Anger Resolution Counselor and US DOT Substance Abuse Professional. He has served as the program director for substance abuse treatment facilities in Houston, TX, and San Diego, CA.Before founding ADAPT Programs in 2007, Joe worked for the Right Step in Houston as the Program Coordinator of their inpatient adolescent treatment program. He also was the Director of Programs for Phoenix House in San Diego, CA. In addition, he worked for the United Way for five years, serving as the Associate Executive Director. Joe and his beautiful wife Victoria are the proud parents of one child, William.Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:Follow Brazos Place on FacebookFollow ADAPT Programs on FacebookJoin the monthly digital subscription

Organizations know that DEI work is important work, and it is. But not just because of the racial reckoning in these last two years. One of the biggest challenges diversity, equity and inclusion professionals face is helping organizations to see how far the DEI work actually stretches.This is especially true right now, as some employees are back in the office while others are still working remotely--maybe with no plans to return to the office at all. Workplaces are remote and yet everyone wants to feel like they belong.At the same time, DEI work doesn't happen in a silo and one human resources professional can't be expected to do all the work. It requires buy-in from the executive level, as well as a full time person who has the power to make decisions and make things happen.This week on the podcast, I'm talking with Andrea Tatum, a DEI disruptor and consultant who supports organizations in doing the work and trains other DEI professionals to do the same. We talk about the importance of the DEI role being a top-level role and how to show other executives what work actually needs to be done. Andrea also shares how DEI pros can take care of themselves during this important work and some of the pitfalls that organizations may face if they don't have the right people in these roles.I hope you'll tune in!About Andrea Tatum:Andrea spent her early career as a marketer in non-profit arts organizations including theaters, ballets, & symphonies. She was named one of the most influential women in Atlanta by Rolling Out Magazine for her focus on diversifying audiences.Shortly after moving to the Bay Area, she pivoted into Tech as a product marketing and events manager.  And while her entire career has been about creating more diverse and inclusive spaces, she pivoted into a full-time DEI Career after running several of Tableau's DEI programs. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow her on Instagram.Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:DEI Career CenterJoin the monthly digital subscription

Does your organization scoff at the price of investing in the mental health and wellness of your employees? It happens often but yet when you look at the numbers, there's a big advantage to making the investment.Just ask Laura Bechard, founder of ProVision Business Advisors, an organizaiton that works with business owners who want to create more work-life balance--for themselves and their teams. On this week's episode, we talk about the valuable resource of human capital and why investing in them can increase the valuation of your organization.And there are so many ways to do this in a way that's flexible for employees and reduces risk for the company, on top of creating some really great perks for scouting new team members!Listen in and learn more!About Laura Bechard:Laura Bechard, CPA, MBA, M Ed is an experienced business, learning and certified change management professional with a unique background that combines finances and people. ProVision Business Advisors is committed to helping leaders align their human resource initiatives with the organization's strategic goals. As a Certified Exit Planning Advisor, Laura specializes in building valuable businesses, helping leaders effectively examine human performance constraints, identify performance improvement initiatives and more effectively communicate the ROI on investment in people. The impact on financial performance and in accelerating the value of the organization provides the business case to support human resource initiatives. Laura's career has provided her with experience in public and private sectors; large global companies and small businesses. Laura enjoys taking in adventures with friends and family and loves to bake. Connect with her on LinkedIn.Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:ProVision Business AdvisorsJoin the monthly digital subscription

Psychological health and safety is a hot topic but one that many leaders struggle with addressing. Thankfully we have leaders like Mary Ann Baynton to help create standards and frameworks that leaders and organizations can use to ensure their workplace is one where everyone can thrive.Mary Ann has done so much work in workplace wellness and has helped countless organizations and government agencies in Canada develop standards to support employees, leaders, and organizations in this area.On this episode of the Mental Health in Minutes podcast, we talk about creating a dialogue around coping with work stress, approaching a standard of wellness, what happens when leaders are overwhelmed and frustrated, and more. And Mary Ann shares three big things that can help during times of overwhelm and why we can't blame a single event for our burnout.About Mary Ann Baynton:Mary Ann is a consultant in the field of workplace mental health and psychological health and safety. She helped develop the National Standard of Canada on Psychological Health and Safety in Canada and serves as the Director of Collaboration and Strategy for Workplace Strategies for Mental Health which provides free resources compliments of Canada Life. Mary Ann is the author of several books including Mindful Manager, Keeping Well at Work and The Evolution of Workplace Mental Health in Canada. She strives to reduce unnecessary suffering by helping people get unstuck and improve working lives. Connect with her on LinkedIn.Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:Join the monthly digital subscriptionPsychologically Safe LeaderWorkplace Strategies for Mental HealthSaundra Dalton-Smith

Some organizations just rise above others when it comes to supporting their people. This week on the podcast, we're talking to Taylor Roa, talent acquisition leader at one such organization.What's so amazing about this company, Wistia, is that they've made very few changes to their people policies and benefits during the pandemic. Other organizations have sprinted to try to catch up to what their people needed during the last two years; Wistia has essentially gone on with business as usual. That's how robust their culture and focus on wellness has been.As Taylor shares, Wistia doesn't have much of a wellness journey because it's been baked into the company's DNA.On this episode, we talk about employee experience, how Wistia stands out, the different phases of the talent market over the last two years, why cash for team members isn't the answer, and so much more.It's such a great conversation and you'll be amazed at how simple it can be to put people firstAbout Taylor Roa:Taylor Roa is a talent acquisition leader in the tech industry who puts a heavy focus on leveraging a hyper-human experience in hiring to achieve better outcomes, as well as keeping DEI at the core of recruitment strategy. He has specialized in growing startups and building hiring functions and DEI initiatives from the ground level.Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:Follow Taylor on Twitter and connect with him on LinkedInStart mental health conversations in your organization

There hasn't always been a lot of mindfulness in the workplace; you'd go to work, do your job, then go home. With the pandemic, people have recognized that there's an incredibly deep connection between home and work. Partly because we've literally been working from home, but also because we're not one-dimensional creatures. We bring our whole selves to work. As it should be.As a result, it's important for leaders to be empathetic. Team members aren't going to check themselves at the door when they walk into work, and we can't expect them too. Instead, leaders can show more compassion and empathy by encouraging their team members to talk about feelings and emotions when they arise. And they will arise.These days, people are reevaluating what's important to them and what their priorities are because what was working before isn't going to work in the future. And how you show up as a leader matters. A workplace that doesn't feel psychologically safe for you or your teams isn't going to support the work or the humans involved the way it should.This week on the podcast, Amy McCae, a mindfulness leadership coach, shares this and more in an effort to help you to demonstrate more mindfulness at work. Because if you're practicing it, your employees are more likely to follow suit.About Amy McCae:Amy helps leaders find more time for fun, family, and even themselves without costing productivity. She spent nearly a decade ill with chronic diseases until she found healing through fitness, nutrition, and meditation. Through that experience Amy rediscovered a passion for healing and now holds over 16 certifications related to mind-body wellness. She offers coaching and training to reduce stress and overwhelm. Amy focuses on mindfulness, leadership, and wellbeingMentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:Connect with Amy on LinkedInJoin the monthly digital subscription

Your values aren't just what you believe in; they're the actions you take toward those beliefs. And sometimes those values change because of new experiences, transitions, life stages, and so on.Values in business can change too, because of world events and new knowledge available. One only has to reflect on the last two years to understand the need for company and personal values to shift and change.When thinking about your organization's current values, did your team members have buy-in in creating them? Do their personal values align with your organization's values? What about the leaders in your organization?It's incredibly important for there to be alignment in values because those values inform the actions we take. And if leaders don't showcase their values consistently, everyone suffers.This week on the podcast, I'm talking with Lindsay Harle-Kadatz about how to talk to team members about values so everyone is on the same page. Because when organizations care about values, it has a big (positive) impact on the bottom line. And surely that's something that you care about!About Lindsay Harle-Kadatz:Lindsay Harle-Kadatz is known as the Values Vixen (that…and a quirky human). As a team brand and mindset consultant with Quirky Lindsay Harle, she supports leaders who want to have an immediate and lasting impact on their people - and it starts with values. Values are the tasty mental prune juice that teams need to create a culture of flow, enthusiasm and joy to produce better quality bottom-line results. A Neuro Change Method™️ Master Certified Practitioner, branding specialist, and listening student, she uses a different lens for connecting values to actions that matter to gain real traction in business and life. For Lindsay, breathing life into a team goes beyond a pretty branding document. It goes to the core of engaging individual beliefs and accountability. Follow Lindsay on Instagram or connect with her on LinkedIn.Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:Businesses Are People Too podcastVisit Lindsay's websiteStart the mental health conversation in your organization

We spend most of our time at work, even today when so many of us are working remotely. It makes sense that we want to feel connected to our teammates and coworkers. But often, we don't know how to do that. We're not sure what to say when we see a coworker struggling so we remain quiet. That's not helping them, and it's not helping us to create real connections. Connections that go beyond work friends to true friendships.This week on the podcast, guest Daniel O'Shea and I discuss the stigma around mental health conversations at work and how we can create a language of support so that everyone feels safe.In the age of mental health tools, there's support out there. But unfortunately many organizations don't allow for vulnerability. Daniel has a tool to help with that!About Daniel O'Shea:Daniel is a consultant working in the social innovation space - developing unique solutions to social issues. He combines the threads of an ecclectic education and career, and in exploring the benefits and challenges of a digital-nomad lifestyle, has found a passion for the purposeful work he undertakes. Predominanty working with the increadible minds and souls that make up The Social Impact Lab and The United Way of Calgary and Area over the last few years, Daniel is grateful to have been given the opportunity to deep dive the larger questions about who we are and how we organize ourselves on his quest to find a more human human. Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn.Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:Steps to SupportHope Motivates Action podcastIshmael by Daniel QuinnJoin the monthly digital subscription

How we approach mental health in the workplace matters, especially in the beginning. Do you find that your people roll their eyes when you introduce wellness programs? Or are you struggling to get upper leadership on board with making employee mental health a priority?You're not alone. Alex da Silva joins me today to talk about why obstacles like this occur, and I don't think you'll be surprised to hear that a big factor is fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of being vulnerable, and fear that you're doing it wrong. But, he also brings some actionable tips to the table that you can use and implement in both your daily life and your organization.We also discuss the responsibility leadership has when it comes to mental health, and the importance of leadership buy-in in the success of any wellness programs. Tune in and learn how you can successfully put practices into place that are going to be effective for your organization.About Alex da Silva:Alex da Silva, co-founder of Happy As Larry Group and TEDx Speaker, is helping individuals solve the problems caused by mental illness. He brings a wealth of personal and professional experience in emotional intelligence, mental health and addiction. Alex is an established Breathwork & Wellbeing Facilitator with a passion and unconditional love for people.To learn more you can find Alex on YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:Happy As Larry GroupExpert in HopeJoin the monthly digital subscription

Do you feel like you're being pulled in all directions, without enough time, energy, or motivation to get it all done? Not only are you missing deadlines and meetings, but you are feeling physically ill and emotionally detached from those around you.That, my friends, is burnout. And it's the biggest issue I see leaders and employees facing today.I get it. I've been there, and it's why I love having these conversations. So, today I want to talk about the warning signs of burnout so that you can recognize it before it hits you (or your team) full force, as well as tactics you can use to come back from the edge once you find yourself there. The warning signs are more prevalent than you probably realize, but the secrets to closing the stress cycle may be easier than you think.Tune in and let's talk about it. Don't let burnout linger where it's not welcome.Mentioned in This Episode of Mental Health in Minutes:Download your FREE Training Tryout!Mind ToolsBurnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Amelia and Emily NagoskiJoin the monthly digital subscriptionFollow Mental Health in Minutes on Facebook

In the past, Occupational Health and Safety has mostly been focused on physical aspects, such as harassment, preventing accidents, and violence. But in more recent years, there's been a push to include psychological safety in their responsibilities as well.And according to OH&S consultant, Dave Ferro, there's good reason for this. When organizations create an environment where people feel both mentally and physically safe to come to work, they see improved profitability, better employee retention, and improved productivity. Dave explains the benefits of proactively supporting employee wellbeing, as well as how to start enacting change in your organization even if you don't have support from your upper management.It's time to start normalizing conversations about mental health the same way we do with conversations about physical health. Tune in!About Dave Ferro:Dave Ferro is your support system. Dave is an OH&S consultant that provides his clients the tools they need to be assured in their procedures and confident in business. He believes in building collaborative relationships and fully understanding his client's needs. Dave is a strong believer in looking after the best interests of his clients. Having an OH&S Management System in place protects employers and their livelihood, as well as employees who have their boots on the ground.To learn more, you can visit his website and connect with Dave on LinkedIn and Facebook.Mentioned In This Episode:Bell Let's Talk DayCan't Hurt Me by David GogginsJoin the monthly digital subscriptionFollow Mental Health In Minutes on Facebook

Mental health in the workplace is becoming less of a perk and more of a necessity, especially now as organizations continue to explore Return to Work strategies in the face of the pandemic. It's tough to know where to start when there are so many variables to be conscious of.Angelique Hamilton joins me today to share why mental wellbeing is becoming such a non-negotiable, it's impact on productivity and your bottom line, and how employers and employees can work together to create more psychologically safe workplaces.She also shares some key advice: Just start where you are. Listen to and advocate for your employees, and create a work culture within your organization that makes them want to be there. If you take care of your employees and ensure they feel valued and engaged, they will take care of your business.Tune in for more!About Angelique Hamilton:Angelique Hamilton, MBA, is the Chief People Officer at Refresh Mental Health and CEO of the HR Chique Group Consultancy. Angelique has contributed to the development of world-class organizations for emerging small businesses, high-growth startups, and entrepreneurial ventures by incorporating innovative HR and diversity practices into their culture. Angelique has held key human resource positions in the health-care, nonprofit, and supply chain sectors, and she is a visionary committed to shaping the workplace of the future.A graduate of Nova Southeastern University's Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship, Angelique holds a master's degree in business administration and a bachelor's degree in business management from Jacksonville University's Davis College of Business. Angelique is a native of Florida where she resides with her husband, Henry, and their three children, Arianna, Jared, and Jadyn.Learn more about HR Chique Group Consultancy on LinkedIn and Facebook, and connect with Angelique on LinkedIn.Mentioned In This Episode:Refresh Mental HealthJoin the monthly digital subscriptionFollow Mental Health In Minutes on Facebook