Why its important to have an open culture for mental health in the workplace – starting from the top
Leaders often shy away from sharing personal stories in their talks and presentations because they’re afraid of revealing their struggles or appearing unprofessional. This could be a missed opportunity to connect with your audience!
Stories that expose our human flaws and vulnerabilities are often what inspire people. This is especially important when trying to encourage people to open up about mental health.
On the 10th of October it is World Mental Health Day, an opportunity to raise awareness of mental health issues, the services on offer and identifying how this can be improved.
Knowing what to share:
- Revisit your inspiring stories of hardship, thinking of the things that are important to you – The people, places, and things that have shaped your life. Some of your experiences may be not quite right to share, but you may uncover anecdotes that will become the basis of a great story
- Write one-line summaries of your best anecdotes, and catalog them – You could sort them by situation, theme, mood, or moral
- When you’re planning your next talk, look through your catalog and consider who’s in your audience – Choose a story that fits their values, goals, and interests, and that will send the message you want to convey
Telling a personal story from a place of conviction is the most powerful communication device you have. That’s what the greatest and most beloved communicators do. They risk transparently revealing their vulnerabilities so that they can be mentors and guides who relate to people from places of universal needs and hardships.
They connect to the audience and remind us that we are all human. The facts speak for themselves, mental health affects 1 in 4 people, this could quite easily be a leader.
If you would like more information on how you can promote openness for mental health and how to educate your employees, get in touch on 01924 666 295.
