This episode of Outside Insights is brought to you by Placers — a values-led staffing partner helping businesses and individuals reach their highest potential. Build a flexible workforce or take the next step in your career at myplacers.com
I sat down with Stephanie Lemek, founder of The Wounded Workforce, expecting a complex, clinical discussion about mental health. What I got instead was a masterclass in simplicity.
Stephanie is a “translator.” She takes the heavy, often scary language of workplace trauma and mental health and turns it into actions every leader can actually take: being human.
In this episode, we simplify the taboo and give you a playbook for building a healthier, more sustainable culture without losing your focus on accountability.
The biggest frustration Stephanie hears from leaders is the perceived tension between empathy and accountability. Her take? Without accountability, mental health efforts at work do not actually succeed. Accountability provides the structure and clarity that teams need to feel secure. It is not about choosing between being a “nice” leader and a “tough” one; it is about acknowledging your team’s humanity while moving toward a shared goal.
The statistics Stephanie shared are staggering: 70% of US adults have experienced at least one traumatic event.
The Three E’s of Trauma: Stephanie breaks it down into the Event, the Experience, and the Effect.
Not a Diagnosis: As a leader, your job is not to be a therapist or to diagnose. It is simply to notice when someone “doesn’t seem like themselves” and offer support.
We often unintentionally cause harm because we do not realize the power we wield. From performance reviews to simple check-ins, a leader’s influence is massive. Research even shows that a manager has a greater impact on an employee’s mental health than their spouse.
The antidote to power imbalance is Choice.
“If you want to be a better leader around mental health, find ways to create choice for your employees.”
This does not mean letting people do whatever they want; it means giving them agency over how or when they tackle their priorities.
Take five minutes to reflect on your team interactions:
Check-in: Instead of a clinical “How is your mental health?”, try a genuine “How are you doing?”
Audit Power: Where can you give an employee a choice today to increase their sense of agency?
Resource Refresh: Do you know your company’s EAP (Employee Assistance Program) details? Most go unused simply because we do not talk about them.
The workplace is one of the last true “built-in communities” we have left. When we lead with humanity, the ripple effect reaches far beyond the office walls.
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During my conversation with Stephanie Lemek, we discussed several powerful resources for leaders looking to deepen their understanding of human relationships, trauma, and well-being. Here is the complete list:
The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness by Dr. Robert Waldinger and Dr. Marc Schulz
What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk (mentioned as a clinical foundational text)
Until next time, friends,
Chris
Outside Insights is about providing the ideas you need to bridge your personal and professional gaps. If you found value in Stephanie’s “translator” approach to leadership, help us grow by sharing this newsletter with a colleague or friend.
This episode of Outside Insights is brought to you by Placers , a values-led staffing and workforce solutions company helping businesses and individuals reach their highest potential.
Whether you’re looking to build a more flexible workforce or take the next step in your career, Placers is your partner in creating what’s next.
Learn more at myplacers.com.
If you enjoyed this podcast, I recommend listening to these past Outside Insights episodes:
From Newsroom Chaos to Quiet Confidence: Finding Your Agency with Tracy Davidson - Episode 73
The Ocean Is Calling (and It Needs Your Talent) – Episode 72
Banking, Trust, and the Entrepreneur’s First “Yes” - Episode 71
This Outside Insights blog is brought to you by my Life Plan Review. If you’re looking for the life you want, have a goal or two to achieve, and are looking for accountability in a community click here for more information.
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Everyone we come into contact with has lessons to share - from strategies for successful entrepreneurship to living a balanced life. Outside Insights is a platform for sharing those lessons and ideas so that we may all close our personal gaps. At its core, it’s a community of individuals who know there's always progress to be made – big or small. If something inspires you, let me know! If you want to discuss an epiphany or a lesson, contact me. It just might be our next featured topic!
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