Businesses are not responsible for fixing employees’ brain health (mental health) challenges. Yet, leaders can be mindful of how such issues affect their teams, their companies, and their own leadership.
With such a perspective, we might realize that the problem isn’t a lack of grit, work ethic, or another standard HR concern. It could stem from a very personal brain health issue, confused as a very impersonal HR issue. And yes – it impacts the business and must be resolved.
When It’s The Leader
It is especially impactful when a leader—whether openly, privately, or unknowingly—is struggling with a brain health condition.
This is a very delicate situation with lots of implications. Still, those around and supporting the leader (executive committee, board of directors, advisors, family) must shoulder their responsibility to recognize, as with other employees, that the leader’s “very personal brain health issue” is impacting the business and must be resolved.
The Interplay
We don’t need to be psychiatrists to recognize that the interplay between biochemistry, genetics, body systems (fight-flight-freeze responses), environmental influences, nutrition, rest, workplace culture—not to mention childhood experiences and trauma—shape an individual’s brain health at home and at work. Awareness of these dynamics doesn’t excuse poor work or toxic behavior, but it might provide a clearer picture of why Jack is such a pain in the butt—and help us respond more effectively.
Root Cause
As I became conversant with holistic psychiatry (as described in The Pinball Theory of Business & Life), I began integrating some of its perspectives into my work with leaders and organizations. I wondered: Could there be an underlying root cause—stress, anxiety, depression, environmental toxins (exposure to water damage mold, EMF hypersensitivity, etc.)—contributing to workplace issues or dysfunction? While we are not medical professionals, an awareness of such factors is edifying.
Personality Issuese:
Sometimes, personality issues might be at the heart of messy company scenarios. Particularly challenging are Personality Disorders, such as Narcissism or Borderline Personality Disorder. These conditions are deeply ingrained and resistant to change. Our efforts to comprehend or accommodate them may be futile, but perhaps we can recognize them.
Narcissism is not uncommon in the workplace. It manifests as a grandiose sense of self-importance, a lack of empathy, an insatiable need for admiration, and a belief that one is special and entitled to preferential treatment. It’s difficult—if not impossible—to correct. But being able to identify it when it’s wreaking havoc can be invaluable. When such traits are present in leadership, they can create a toxic work environment, fueling dysfunction across an entire organization.
Left Brain/Right Brain
We can become familiar with the differences between left-brain and right-brain dominance and how these tendencies influence leadership and work styles. Some professions—medicine, law, accounting—are dominated by left-brain thinkers, who are highly analytical, structured, and detail-oriented. In contrast, right-brain-dominant individuals are typically more creative, intuitive, and adaptable.
Understanding this bifurcation can explain why Alice excels at reviewing data and building financial models, while Bert thrives in designing visually compelling presentations with bold graphics and creative storytelling. Recognizing these differences can help leaders assign projects where employees will soar rather than struggle. It also sheds light on why some individuals see the world in stark black and white, while others navigate the gray.
Systems Thinking
I came to appreciate Systems Thinking—how individuals interact within larger structures like families, teams, businesses, nonprofits, governments, etc. Being caught in systemic dysfunction can be disorienting and overwhelming, but recognizing its impact is essential.
I’ve seen situations where people blamed an OrgChart for a team’s failures, but the real issue wasn’t the structure—it was how people functioned or failed to function within the authorized system. Some employees manipulated or ignored established processes, while others subtly undermined them. Making sense of this behavior requires a psychological lens to understand what is actually transpiring within the system.
Personal/Professional Stress
Personal and professional stress can be interconnected and common. It might be obvious or exquisitely subtle. The same with other brain health issues. Such awareness can lead to a better understanding of what’s transpiring (particularly in messy situations), more informed personnel decisions, and differentiation between our responsibilities as employers and what’s beyond our expertise and control.
Many so-called business problems are often personal problems in disguise—whether it’s a leader struggling with unmanaged anxiety, an employee experiencing depression, or a toxic workplace culture driven by someone’s unresolved personal issues. The higher up the ladder an issue exists, the more it infects the entire organization
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There’s often more going on just below the employment surface that’s impacting the workplace. If we can discern it, we can better deal with it.
