Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas and David Galvan have a transformative conversation, exploring practical strategies for creating soul-safe workplaces. Gain insights into nurturing authenticity, compassion, and resilience in professional settings. Join us as we pave the way for a new paradigm of work rooted in holistic well-being and collective thriving.
Join us as we explore the intersection of masculinity, mental health, and professional success in traditionally male-dominated industries. In this podcast, we delve into how leveraging strengths inherent in masculinity—such as collaboration, prioritizing safety, reciprocity, perseverance, problem-solving, courage, and honor—can contribute to creating healthier work environments and driving individual and organizational growth. From sharing stories of triumph to discussing practical strategies for promoting mental well-being, in this episode I interview Simon Tyler from Australia. He offers insights and inspiration for navigating challenges, fostering resilience, and unlocking the full potential of men’s mental well-being at work.
His two key takeaways:
Management engagement through leveraging workplace strengths
Mitigate psychosocial hazards related to job design
At the surface level, generational differences in mental health at work are apparent as each generation brings its unique set of values, experiences, and expectations to the workplace….
In this conversation, I speak with Melissa Doman who brings a fresh take on how organizations might bridge these gaps. Her two takeaways:
Move toward each other.
Explore differences to find agreement.
Sharing vulnerabilities as a leader in the context of culture change and mental health at work can include discussing challenges faced, lessons learned, or personal growth experiences. When you are transparent and authentic about the struggles you've faced as a leader and how you've navigated them, you can create a more relatable and trusting work environment….
In this episode, I model vulnerability by sharing my embarrassing anxiety-fueled outtakes as I was fairly star-struck by my guest Newton Cheng.
Newton is a family man, a world champion powerlifter, and the Director of Health + Performance at Google.
Learn why Newton doesn’t like the saying “Bring your whole self to work.”
Newton shares these two takeaways:
Vulnerability can be built like a muscle; saying: "I don't know how to be vulnerable" is being vulnerable and
Start with seeing the human first — treat everyone first as just another human in a certain context.
While we are all so very attached to our devices, many do not truly appreciate the dark underbelly of the global electronics industry. In this podcast I interview Prof Jenny Chan, who exposed the hazardous working conditions that contributed to the alarming rates of suicide among workers. Her book “Dying for an iPhone” delves into the exploitative practices prevalent in factories producing popular consumer electronics, shedding light on the long hours, low wages, and relentless pressure faced by employees. In our conversation, she uncovers the intricate web connecting these adverse working conditions, mental health struggles, and the tragic outcomes of suicide. Through poignant stories and extensive research, Prof Chan reveals the urgent need for change, urging consumers, corporations, and governments to address the human cost behind the devices we use and demand ethical practices in the industry.
Often when people experience depression it feels like being in a deep, dark hole.
At least I know that is what it felt like for me.
When I went through an episode of major depression in 2012, the world felt incredibly dark and cold. My mind was filled with dread and overwhelm. Inside I was telling myself that I was a failure and the everything I had worked for would soon completely fall apart. I lost about twenty pounds in a month because I stopped eating. I didn’t sleep night after night.
On the outside I soldiered on.
It took the loving concern of others around me for me to see it was okay to take care of myself. Sometimes depression at work looks like isolation and sadness. Sometimes it looks like distraction, low stress tolerance, anger or changes in appearance. Sometimes the impacts of depression on performance are obvious, and sometimes they are not.
That said, untreated depression is costly and disruptive at work. According to Forbes, half of depressed employees are untreated costing an estimated 200 million lost workdays each year costing upwards of $44 billion to employers. Often employees feel trapped between feeling very unwell and needing to continue to work. Many don’t feel like they have permission to take care of this part of their health or that if they do, many feel they will be punished for doing so.
In this episode, I speak with Mike Jacquart about his experiences living with depression. We cover his three take-aways from the point of view of someone with lived experience:
Understand the impact of poor self-esteem and depression on work.
Offer hope to those suffering in silence.
Treatment works and transforms lives.
Most workplaces agree that having a mental health program of some kind is good for their workers, and in turn good for their mission; however, most don’t know what to do besides get the benefit of an Employee Assistance Program. In this special extended episode, I speak with my right hand woman Dr. Jodi Jacobson Frey. Jodi and I co-chair the Workplace Suicide Prevention and Postvention Committee and have collaborated for almost 15 years on how best to support workplaces in developing a robust worker well-being culture. In this episode, Jodi covers these three takeaways:
Take a good organizational look in the mirror
Don’t just check a box
Back it up — bring your plans to life
In this episode, I speak with the Vice President of Field Culture and Inclusion at Clayco, Dan Lester. Dan is also a tireless mental health advocate. In our conversation, we start to connect these workplace challenges in meaningful ways and get comfortable being uncomfortable.
Three takeaways:
1. Work to see ALL of the people around you. Even the ones that push you out of your comfort zone.
2. Get in the game. Behave until you believe.
3. Don't forget about yourself. You are the answer to your problems.
