Lessons From Leadership: Supporting Men’s Mental Health In High-Pressure Roles

#InHIsWords: Lloyd Doddridge, Chief of Future Directions, Australian Red Cross

Senior leadership is not for the faint-hearted, especially in pivotal change roles. However, this has been my chosen career track, and I acknowledge the privilege of being able to pursue it.

Managing extreme complexity and risk through technical expertise and lived experience are entry requirements for these roles. You must excel in these areas just to be considered. However, success demands combining these skills with strength of character, a strong ego, and genuine care for those around you, including your stakeholders. If you can do and be all of these, you gain the privilege of creating unique moments for organisations and everyone they impact.

We often see the results and costs of achievement in numbers and statistics. They are published, rewarded, and sometimes praised. What we don’t see are the emotional tolls accumulated from living out these roles in environments that are often culturally toxic, psychologically unsafe, and sometimes physically unsafe. Moreover, it’s naive to think this will change anytime soon, as financial incentives perpetuate these environments.

We also need to recognise that, in today’s workplace, most senior roles are sadly still held by men. A story about equality of opportunity and its benefits to everyone’s wellbeing will have to wait another day!

Within that context, my family and I have enjoyed a fantastic career and an interesting life. The personal costs, without doubt, are primarily related to long-term mental health.

So what are the mental health lessons from a senior leadership experience spanning 40 years, 57 countries, 10 organisations, 11 industries and 8 turnarounds?

There are three reflections I would offer.

1. Measure yourself from within.

2. Be your curious best.

3. Take time for self

All these are within our own control and are related. They resist the pressure of the external to promote the well-being of the internal. It is only when we are well internally that we can perform well externally.

Travis Boak’s recent book, The Power Within, centres on life lessons gleaned from his long and successful AFL career, with a strong focus on mindset, emotional health, and self-acceptance. We all have incredible potential to become the best versions of ourselves, building on our natural gifts and accepting the events that have marked our lives along the way. Few of us are untouched by trauma but building a meaningful life and accepting our vulnerabilities keeps us well.

From my career experience, this advice is spot on. Marking personal progression by reference to internal measures leads to much better outcomes than purely external input. Sure, there’s a balance to be had, but the bias has to be strongly internally focused. That shift leads to far better mental health outcomes over the long term. For senior leaders in pivotal change roles, this is particularly so.

So what gets us into that frame of reference?

Continuously seeking to understand what makes us truly well and happy calls for boundless curiosity and energy. We will need help in the workplace because it is stressful and not always safe, and to be honest, organisations need to recognise this. It is natural to use the learnings of those around us and seek their support in applying them. Make time for those activities, be vulnerable, and stay curious.

Being curious recognises that we, as individuals, have limited knowledge. It contradicts ego-based management styles currently promoted in OECD company cultures, where a lack of knowledge is perceived as a vulnerability. Active curiosity is a strength. It permits insights that help you grow. As you grow, you feel less fear and anxiety from the situations you encounter. Active curiosity counters anxiety when used to develop our internal selves.

Time for self is a resource we control. In the later years of my career, I have deeply understood a vital truth about leadership: making time your ally, not your adversary, is one of the most potent arts you can master. Strategically prioritising and sequencing your activities – acting only when the moment is right – has a greater impact than constant action. Among these essential activities, self-renewal and personal growth stand out as ongoing commitments. This isn’t a one-time effort but a continuous journey that requires dedicated time for learning, reflection, action, and ongoing revision. Embracing this approach doesn’t just enhance leadership; it transforms it, enabling you to lead with sustainable purpose, clarity, and resilience.

Not only do leaders need to change, but employers must also take decisive action to transform the work environment.

Today’s workplaces are evolving quickly, driven by a younger workforce rejecting outdated work models and traditional rewards. The race for top talent is fierce, and financial incentives alone are not enough.

Organisations must actively foster a culture of internal wellness-prioritising mental health and recognising those who excel in maintaining it. Access to advisors and clinicians who can design and promote journeys of internal growth is vital for developing better leadership. Recognising and supporting employees who show resilience and excellence benefits individuals and demonstrates true sustainability in the workplace.

Lastly, we need to identify and remove “psychopathic” and “sociopathic” leaders as these character types have held sway at the top of the corporate ladder for too long. Removing them will change the culture and open the doors to progress.

Embracing these elements of individual change and the organisational elements that create space for it is essential for sustainable success for both individual leaders and the organisations they work for. There is a symbiotic relationship here that cannot be overlooked in times of labour and skill shortages.

So it starts with us, individually at first, but spreads to our influence to change how the organisations we lead support the journeys of those behind us.

There’s a sporting saying that’s relevant here. “Don’t be beaten by what you know.”.

We know mental health in executives is at crisis point. We know why. Let’s change so we’re not beaten by what we know. To include the change elements discussed as part of accepted operating and leadership practice worldwide, we all must recognise and acknowledge that change is required. It may be a dream at this stage, but all change starts with a better future in mind.

Resources:

LESSONS FROM LEADERSHIP: SUPPORTING MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH IN HIGH-PRESSURE ROLES

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