Mental Health

- The Mind
@ Work
Session 2

Tony Davidson
Siham Boda
Karen Theunissen
 Session 2 Summary

• Dealing with Stigma

• Other issues associated with managing mental illness
• Line managers role 
• Line manager style
DELAY
Issues with
Stigma

Blocks & limits

awareness and
response.
 “Stigma is a perceived negative characteristic that causes
someone to devalue or think less of the whole person.”

• People with mental illness feel diminished, devalued and

Stigma fearful because of the negative attitude society holds toward
them. 
Defined • Public stigma, where people are ignorant & fear, discriminate
and minimise the issues.
• Self-stigma – individuals buy into the stereotypes and devalue
themselves (“I must be useless, because I can’t snap out of
this…”) This is driven predominantly by fear and shame.
 Living in the Shadows
• Fewer than half of those with a serious disorder
seek proper treatment until a crisis occurs. 
• Many who do seek mental health services
Stigma & the expend a significant amount of time and energy
keeping their secret.
Impact of
Discrimination Stigma creates the dilemma
Transparency in the long term  is more beneficial
than secrecy. 
 We are hard-wired to be connected. It's what gives purpose and
meaning to our lives. 
Shame disconnects us. “Is there something about me that, if
other people know it or see it, that I won't be worthy of
connection?“

Stigma is We don’t want to talk about our shame, but the less we talk
about it, the more we have it. And  down we spiral.

driven by: We prefer to hide fear and shame because it makes us

vulnerable – but its through our vulnerability that we can
Fear & Shame address stigma.

To talk about the issue means we need to show that we are

vulnerable. 
• This needs courage – “Whole-hearted”. 
• So that we can be connected – we need to be really seen –
and that can only happen when we share our
vulnerabilities.  
 I am not
good/thin/well/rich/ I also numb joy,
successful/ in control/ gratitude,
perfect enough/ happiness

“Medicate”

Fear & Shame By hiding my I numb the

I am not seen pain of
I am vulnerability, I
or heard disconnection
VULNERABLE disconnect.

I embrace my Leadership –
vulnerability – its creating the
not comfortable. safe space to
I have a sense of worthiness, disclose, to
I am willing to
I deserve to belong and be connect &
RISK
connected. be seen &
heard.
I have the COURAGE to being AUTHENTIC = Creating
and imperfect. I am kind to myself first, TRUST &
and psychological
Willing to let go of who I thought I should safety
be to who I actually am
DEATH.BREAKDOWN.BURNOUT.DISTRESS. COPING THRIVING

UCT’s Approach to Developing a

“Human – centric healthy
Mental Illness ecosystem”
 • Language matters – pay attention to the words
you use to describe mental illness
Most
effective way • Reduce your ignorance - Educate yourself
(SADAG website) – learn, know, and talk more
of reducing about mental illness

stigma? • Kindness really has a powerful  positive

impact.

• Be prepared to engage and  listen. Familiarity

reduces stigma.

• Talk about it – start a conversation and break

the silence
Other challenges in dealing
with mental health in the
workplace that create
delays.
From a line manager on the Mind@Work journey

Have you had, lived with or worked with someone who had mental
health issues? Are there any experiences you want to share?

I currently manage someone who has a recent relapse of mental health

challenges.
• It has been really difficult to balance managing them (how
open/honest/critical can feedback be? )
• What sort of support should I give the person? - I am not a trained
mental health professional...).
• So, I have felt real anxiety in going through basic management
processes like development dialogues etc...
 More challenging than most other illnesses.

• Visibility of the link between illness and

performance
• Variability in symptom presentation and
intensity
Challenges - • Our own vulnerabilities
• Our skill set
Mental Illness • The Law
• Our Role – are we enablers, aggravators,
saviours or safe havens?
 Challenges for Organisations & Managers

PERFORMANCE
CARE & CONCERN
•Cost-containment Manage Stigma
•Time pressures Showing Leadership & Loyalty
Hard .“x” .Yin.

•Customer Expectations
•No/little reserve to
cover/accommodate
OR Building/spending trust
EEA/LRA
Adjust environment
•Team disruption Adjust job
•Personal impact on LM Time off
(*80% of your time on 20% of the demands) Extra time

Soft . “Y”. Yang.

 Challenges for Organisations & Managers

PERFORMANCE
CARE & CONCERN
•Cost-containment Manage Stigma
•Time pressures Showing Leadership & Loyalty
Hard .“x” .Yin.

•No/little reserve toAND

•Customer Expectations Building/spending trust
EEA/LRA
Adjust environment
cover/accommodate Adjust job
•Team disruption Time off
•Personal impact on LM Extra time

Soft . “Y”. Yang

 Both Performance and Care & Concern are
important!

Try not to go for Balance (50-50)

• Less value in half performance and half
What to do care & concern

with the • Develop the Third Alternative – drop the

tyranny of the “OR”  & be liberated by the

“AND” genius of the “AND”

• Engage in the paradoxical space to drive

the solutions along both axes!
Can you clarify the line manager role?
• Don’t wait to deal with poor performance –
• When is the right time?
• Document, document
• Consult with trusted colleagues, HR, OrgHealth, ICAS management
• Medical reports – need to be very clear about
• the impact of the illness
• the prognosis (nature of recovery and duration)
• how to treat and manage the person If not, ask for more
information
• how to accommodate

• Get support for yourself

What type of manager
are you?
How to find
your score
on the
matrix
 The Managerial Grid
Robert Blake & Jane Mouton

9
Concern for People

Country Club Team Leader

Indifferent Authoritarian
1

1 Concern for Task 9

Country Club (Low Task, High Relationship) Team Leader (High Task, High Relationship)

• People orientated • Leads by example

• Uses reward power to motivate • Fosters a positive team environment
• Poor boundary control, little authority • Encourages potential for people so that
• Believes saying ‘no’ leads to conflict team can achieve its goals effectively
• Relationships trump tasks • Can use authority, if necessary
• Typically want to be saviours • Understands the complexity of compassion
and productivity
Concern for Task

Authoritarian (High Task, Low Relationship)

Concern for People

Indifferent (Low Task, Low Relationship) • Task orientated
• Delegates & Disappears • Not much concern for people
• Not much concern for people or task • No collaboration or debate
• Disengaged manager • Timelines are everything
• Team can do what it wants • “Employed to do, not to think”
• No structure – vacuum creates power • When things go wrong  who to blame?
struggles • Impatience with performance will aggravate
• Neglect will lead to crises mental illness