# Bonus Episode: The Realities of Leadership Mental Health

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/happier-at-work-leadership-culture-performance-629891/bonus-episode-the-realities-of-leadership-mental-health
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/happier-at-work-leadership-culture-performance-629891/bonus-episode-the-realities-of-leadership-mental-health.md
Podcast: [Happier At Work: Leadership, Culture, Performance](https://stenobird.com/podcast/happier-at-work-leadership-culture-performance-629891)
Published: 2026-02-23T05:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://happieratwork.ie/happier-at-work-podcast
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/op3.dev/e/episodes.captivate.fm/episode/8adf5c13-6eb8-4fb9-82ef-7834d5c293fe.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/happier-at-work-leadership-culture-performance-629891/episodes/bonus-episode-the-realities-of-leadership-mental-health
Duration seconds: 533

## Resource

Can leaders show vulnerability at work and still be effective? In this bonus episode, Aoife explores the biggest insights from her conversation with workplace mental health expert Melissa Doman. Together, they challenge the myth that leaders must be “psychologically above” the human experience and unpack what happens when leaders feel they must appear superhuman. This episode offers practical ways leaders can show up as human, and explains how a leader’s emotional state shapes team culture more than they may realise. Many organisations expect leaders to be: More resilient Less impacted by stress Always composed In need of less support This creates an impossible double standard: Be human enough to support others Be superhuman enough to need nothing When leaders suppress their humanity, it doesn’t strengthen leadership, it creates distance, reduces safety, and can lead to behaviours later labelled as toxic. Where have you been coping until now, and what will you do differently after this episode? Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®: Website LinkedIn YouTube Connect with Melissa Doman | Organisational psychologist and leadership mental health expert: Website LinkedIn Listen to my conversation with Melissa Doman: Episode 294: The Realities of Leadership Mental Health with Melissa Doman About Happier at Work Happier at Work is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive. If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work. Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, wo…

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## Transcript

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