One of the featured sessions at the Conference Board of Canada’s Mental Health Gap Conference, which took place in April, was Leadership perspectives: Supporting the mental health of senior management. The panelists were Santa Ono, Vice-Chancellor, UBC; Barb Keenan, Senior Vice President Human Resources, LCBO; and David Schwarz, Senior Vice…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt Unwanted stress response refers to how an individual reacts to a situation, not the actual situation itself. It sneaks up on us and can cause us to say and do things that we later regret. COVID has increased unpleasant and unwanted stress for many of us,…
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When Hayley Peek was suffering from severe panic attacks and became very ill at work, she faced the daunting task of talking to her manager about it. They went out for lunch, and she worked up the courage to tell him she was struggling. He listened. He validated her feelings.…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt How challenging are uncomfortable, emotionally charged conversations for you? As leaders, we face uncomfortable conversations regularly at work. Whether it’s denying a vacation request, rejecting a schedule change, not approving a professional development request, or ending employment because a position has been eliminated, these conversations can…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt Did you know that 95% of our decisions are driven by emotions? They affect us all day long at work and at home, and when we are under strain, they can impact our choices and behaviours. If left unchecked, unpleasant emotions can lead to poor mental…
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