How to Reduce Organisational Friction: Interview with Bob Sutton

Session 1: Emerging Leaders Program: Self-Leadership

WRAP UP OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING WEEK 

From having an honest conversation with yourself that things are not okay, the warning signs of burnout and the benefit of 90 minute “emotional energy” naps, to dramatic stories of survival….Mental Health and Wellbeing Week had us engaged with a rich mix of practical and emotional moments.

We’d like to thank the speakers who shared their personal journeys and valuable advice this week, Dr Carly Moulang, Sally Moten, Tom Riley, Caroline McLaren, Dr Robyne Hanley-Dafoe, Jenna Hermans and Keith Roberts.

Replays of all 5 live virtual sessions will be made available for Growth Faculty members in the On Demand library for a limited time. [Become a member here.](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/memberships?campaign_id=701RG000006BNNhYAO&promo=BlogGF)

Here is a brief summary of some of the highlights.

WE HEARD THE PRACTICAL AND EMOTIONAL 

[Dr Carly Moulang](https://www.monash.edu/business/our-people/carly-moulang) of Monash University appeared shocked that 75% of Mental Health and Wellbeing Week attendees said in her poll they “believed to have had” or “had experienced” workplace burnout.

“Wow, that’s high,” she told them.

Dr Moulang says burnout is:

·        Feeling depleted and exhausted, unable to relax even on days off

·        Dreading going to work, a feeling of hopelessness about your work environment

·        Trouble sleeping, reduced professional effectiveness, feeling as if you’re “drowning.”  

She cited a study which showed 79% of burned-out respondents rated their job performance as “very poor” over the 4 weeks prior to the study.

Another found 62% of people who were burned intended to leave their workplace “in the next 12 months.”

**BURNOUT CAUSES**

Dr Moulang says causes of burnout included unsustainable workloads, a perceived lack of control, lack of fairness, mismatched values and skills, and lack of a supportive community.

Burnout affects others around the sufferer, so could be said to be “contagious” to colleagues and teams. It can affect not just the sufferer’s income, primarily through sick leave days and part-time employment, but their spouse's income too.

**BURNOUT WARNING SIGNS & METRICS**

Dr Moulang says metrics serving as early warning signs of burnout are:

·        _How many hours of work are missed by employees for absenteeism and stress leave?_

_·        Time spent on coaching and supporting employees with stress or performance issues that stemmed from burnout at work_

_·        Turnover rates in the workplace and the costs associated with replacing departing employees_

_·        Project errors, misplaced timelines, or unmet deadlines_

Dr Moulang emphasised that burnout is a systematic problem, not an individual one.

“Too often, we simply accept the situation when employees abruptly quit, or their productivity falls off,” she says.

DR CARLY MOULANG – THE COST OF BURNOUT

A panel comprising Sally Moten, Partner at [Lander & Rogers](https://www.landers.com.au/about-us), Tom Riley Head of Impact at [Batyr](https://www.batyr.com.au/), and Caroline Mclaren workplace engagement manager at [Black Dog Institute](https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw05i4BhDiARIsAB_2wfAPk-MgQlM7_8Zc986LprnaOClDPhGJ2OCCC9jUXHKF3i1ZWDxYHuwaAvI0EALw_wcB) continued the discussion on workplace mental wellbeing.

In a follow-on from Dr Carly Moulang’s keynote on burnout, Caroline clarified that burnout is often mistaken for mental illness, though the two are distinct.

She said burnout stems from both individual and organisational factors, with marginalised groups, particularly young people and women, being more vulnerable.

**TOOLS AND FRAMEWORKS**

Caroline spoke of The Black Dog Institute’s [workplace wellbeing framework](https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/resources-support/wellbeing/workplace-wellbeing/) and an upcoming audit tool to support organisations to self-audit and create healthy and well cultures.

She urged organisations to stay informed about relevant legislation (see below) and use tools like staff surveys to gauge workplace wellbeing. However, Tom warned that even the best policies can be undermined by subtle stigmas around mental health.

**CLASH OF GENERATIONAL CULTURES**

Tom spoke of the unique challenges young people face, noting that younger generations are experiencing a "seismic shift" in workplace expectations, where mental health is prioritised more than ever. He described the "clash of generational cultures," as younger employees are more willing to set boundaries in contrast to older norms.

**LEGISLATION AND EMPLOYER OBLIGATIONS**

The discussion also touched on the importance of understanding legal obligations. Sally shared the [workplace safety legislation](https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/mental-health/psychosocial-hazards) and requirements organisations now have in order to eliminate or minimise psychosocial hazards.

Sally stressed that organisations must take responsibility for minimising psychosocial risks by addressing work intensity, deadlines, and exposure to traumatic materials.

She highlighted the need for education to help both workers and leadership understand their rights and obligations, pointing out that outdated attitudes can persist, especially in cases like bullying or harassment where behaviour can sometimes be dismissed as "a joke." She said it’s important to establish in 2024 what is OK and not OK in the workplace. And that it “doesn’t always go without saying.”

**EDUCATION IS THE ANSWER**

The panel's central message was that education—of leaders, employees, and boards—is essential in navigating new legislation. As Sally said in her sum-up: Creating a safe workplace starts with being a good human. "Treat people with kindness and respect."

PANEL DISCUSSION – WORKPLACE MENTAL WELLBEING  

[Dr Robyne Hanley-Dafoe](https://drrobyne.ca/) had everyone on the edge of their seats with her gripping story of transformation and survival. She shared newspaper clippings of her rescue from an ice lake in Canada, just one experience that set her on her path to becoming an expert in resilience.

Dr Hanley-Dafoe told the participants that burnout is “the curse of the strong.” Capable people do too much, she says.

She recommends better sleep hygiene (including 90-min naps for “emotional energy”), walking 7000 steps a day (about half an hour), making time for solitude, getting outside into nature, and connecting with others (like our coming together to learn at Growth Faculty).

**ROBYNE’S 5 PILLARS OF RESILIENCE**

·        **Belonging** – Having social connections, and support networks; a “home team” that deserves protection, as Robyne says. Also experiencing psychological safety and a foundation of trust

·        **Perspective** – Aligning your head and your heart. Making sure what matters most gets priority when allocating how to spend your time and energy. A resilient perspective also involves seeing challenges as temporary and manageable

·        **Acceptance** - Involves acknowledging reality as it is (“It’s just a bad hour”), including both the things we can and cannot control. This helps people focus their energy on constructive actions rather than fighting unchangeable circumstances

·        **Hope** - Hope is a choice, says Robyne. Being hope filled is believing in the possibility of positive outcomes and our ability to influence the future. It's about maintaining optimism while taking practical steps forward

·        **Humour** - Using laughter and lightness processes emotion in real time. Humour stops you from brewing, can help maintain perspective, and gives you that release and reprieve during difficult times

Here is a link to Dr Robyne Hanley-Dafoe's [resources](https://drrobyne.ca/open-resources/) and the link to the social media literacy [study](https://business.dcu.ie/dcu-and-myfitnesspal-study-on-social-media-health-and-wellness-trends-highlights-urgent-need-for-digital-health-literacy/) she mentioned in her session.

DR ROBYNE HANLEY-DAFOE: 5 PILLARS OF RESILIENCE 

[Jenna Hermans](https://jennahermans.com/about-jenna/), author of _Chaos to Calm_, began with her own story of burnout in her twenties, which led to her quitting her job, pausing her nighttime studies at grad school, leaving her relationship, and moving back in with her mother.

She said she burned out again when she became a parent, recognising she was becoming emotionally distant,  resentful of her husband and business partner, and anxious and stressed.

Jenna stressed the first step to overcoming overwhelm is recognising that you are there, and you are not taking care of yourself.

“You need to have an honest conversation with yourself,” she said.

**JENNA’S 5 PILLARS TO A BALANCED LIFE**

·        **Efficiency –** Time management is one aspect, and Jenna suggests “using your calendar as a superpower.” Batch tasks such as grouping your emails or meetings

·        **Habits** – Build small and simple routines in your day. She suggests a midday mindfulness break of a 5-minute walk, or box breathing (Breathe in for 4 beats, hold for 4 beats, breathe out for 4, hold for 4)

·        **Community** – Foster strong connections. Try peer support groups at work, where you can openly discuss challenges

·        **Communication** – Aim for clarity in all communication. Jenna suggests you establish clear boundaries with colleagues, sharing how and when you are available

·        **Self-care** -  This is the foundation for all success. As well as a digital de-tox each evening for half to one hour duration, she suggests **C.H.E.E.R**.: _Connection_ with friends, nature, volunteer roles, _Hydrating_ by drinking more water, _Eating_ to nourish your body, _Exercise_ and movement, and _Rest_ and sleep.

Jenna asked participants to ask themselves:

_What’s one thing I can do in the morning?_ (spend a few minutes journalling, meditating, getting present)

_What’s one thing I can do to my evening routine?_ (picking out an outfit or thinking about priorities for the next day)

Jenna shared that she is reading _Mating in Captivity_ by Esther Perel, and her [free resources](https://jennahermans.com/downloads/).

JENNA HERMANS: OVERCOME OVERWHELM 

[Keith Roberts](https://keithrobertsiii.com/about-keith-roberts), known as the Zenman, and described as the Buddist entrepreneur, shared motivational and productivity hacks from his book _OAK Journal._

He explained how to design the life you’ve always dreamed of by understanding your why, adopting mindful practices that fit with your purpose, and writing things down. 

**WRITE GOALS AND DREAMS DOWN**

Keith says writing something down doubles the probability of what you put on paper coming to fruition. This is because emotion is transferred when pen is put to paper. 

He spoke of his mentor [Warren Rustand](https://warrenrustand.com/about/) who has achieved 98 of the 100 goals he set himself at age 13. 

Keith recommends you write down: 

*   Anything (i.e. journalling). He recommend reading _"The Artist's Way"_ by Julia Cameron
*   Your "big hairy audacious goals" (a term coined by Jim Collins)
*   Letters to people you're angry with (then you burn the letters)
*   Things you should start doing and stop doing
*   90 day goals for personal, business, and relationship areas of your life
*   Things you're grateful for, your vision for today and your 3 priorities
*   The four 7s (if doctors told you you had only 7 years, or 7 months, or 7 weeks, or 7 days to live, what choices would you make?)

**HEALTHY HABITS** 

He also recommended **Shinrin-yoku** (spend 20 minutes, three times a week, "forest bathing"), **Misogi** (setting yourself a once a year physical challenge that is so challenging you will probably fail around half the time), as well as practising mindfulness, healthy diet and movement, and 7-8 hours of sleep.  

**10-10-10**

Keith also recommends starting each day with 10 minutes of meditation, 10 minutes of reading (not news or emails on devices), and 10 minutes of journalling.

Keith welcomes interaction with the session's participants. His email is keith (at) zenman.com. We will update this article with the OAK journal resources as soon as we get them.

 KEITH ROBERTS – LEVEL UP YOUR LIFE 

[Growth Faculty members](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/memberships/?campaign_id=701RG000006BNNhYAO&promo=BlogGF) benefit from a world-class [immersive live virtual learning program of events](https://thegrowthfaculty.ac-page.com/GF-Program-Download) - all included in their annual subscription. It’s an engaging and entertaining way to develop leaders.

Growth Faculty recently launched a good value [Enterprise plan](https://join.thegrowthfaculty.com/enterprise/) for **larger companies** to develop leadership skills across their whole organisation.

New events are being added regularly to this highly curated program. Keep an eye on the website Growthfaculty.com for fresh additions to the line-up.

There are separate multi-week live virtual programs for [emerging leaders](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/events/a02RG000006jKwnYAE/overview?sid=a0KRG000008sQyb2AE) and for [senior leaders](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/events/a02RG00000606y1YAA/overview?sid=a0KRG0000092LET2A2) offering a condensed leadership course in a time-effective way.

WRAP UP OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING WEEK

SUMMARY OF 5 SESSIONS TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK

Keep informed
Stay Inspired

WRAP UP OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING WEEK

SUMMARY OF 5 SESSIONS TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK

Keep informedStay Inspired

Keep informed
Stay Inspired