Cornered Office

Managers, leaders, and executives have long been excluded from the workplace mental health conversation, often told either implicitly or explicitly that their titles "shield them" from the emotional challenges any other employee might face. These professional expectations and encouraged silence are not only unhealthy and unrealistic, but also unsustainable. Ultimately, harming leaders' careers, well-being, and the companies they serve. In Cornered Office , Melissa Doman, MA, Organizational Psychologist and former mental health therapist, draws on her work with companies across industries and around the world to explain why leaders' mental health is just as important as everyone else's, and why it's a strategic business imperative. Doman exposes the outdated narratives and organizational dynamics that continue to discourage leaders from acknowledging their own mental health needs and provides a clear roadmap for changing this damaging culture. This groundbreaking, disruptive book explores the historical baggage surrounding emotional displays in leadership, highlights the workplace phenomena that sustain silence, and reveals how the leadership "plate" is overflowing like never before in history. She also tasks companies to take organizational responsibility for shifting the narrative around leadership mental health and offers practical, actionable strategies that empower leaders to join the mental health conversation in a practical, personalized way. With guidance on approaching different workplace audiences--from direct reports to C-suite peers and more--this book gives leaders an adaptable framework they can apply based on their individual role, company, and career path. Backed by validated research, real-world case studies, and interviews with leaders from various industries and levels of seniority, this book breaks down ingrained workplace practices and provides leaders with tools they can quickly implement to change how they approach their own mental health in their careers and companies. Cornered Office is essential reading for managers, executives, and aspiring leaders who are ready to break the silence, lead with humanity, and demonstrate that struggle and success can coexist. If you're a leader who's tired of pretending like nothing should shake you at work, this book offers permission--and helpful strategies--to prioritize your mental health and become a more effective and healthier leader.