Presenting ‘Surviving the Bad Boss’ at the Conference Board of Canada in Ottawa May 9th, 2018-05-18

A totally awesome day! Encouraging, education and empowering day! Thank you to the Conference committee Charles Boyer, John Brewer, Sally McClosekey, Dr. Susan Black, Liana Dalati, Mirelle Khachan and all those who facilitated in the success of this event.

This week I was one of the speakers with the Conference Board of Canada on Mental Health. It was an honour to part of this day and share the stage other business leaders, individuals and government agencies who presented a variety of ideas, tools and strategies on dealing with mental health issues in the workplace.

Each speaker and those who participating in the panel discussions

offered insight into their own companies and what was working, areas for improvement and new strategies that provided a healthy workplace and a better place for our mental health. A combination of personal experiences was powerful in demonstrating a vulnerability people have in admitting and becoming aware of their own mental illness and struggling with PTSD.

I think is safe to say that our workplace has tremendous impact on our mental health.

Everyone has their own definition of what that looks like. From my own experiences in dealing with ‘the bad boss’, a healthy workplace includes having a good leader, someone who has the ‘right stuff’. Such as understanding the importance of having and enforcing respectful workplace policies, adopting zeros tolerance policies for violence such as sexual harassment and bullying. Leaders who are good communicators and encourage open effective communication and collaboration, a work environment that provides positive supports for those dealing with mental health issues, effective conflict resolution, values the employees as individuals and their unique talents and how they want to be managed, is flexible and willing to try new ideas and suggestions and empowers the workers.

Everyone has their our own perspective or life lens on what ‘wellbeing’ looks and feels like. At the conference when asked to list ten words for wellbeing we quickly realized that there were very few who had the same word. Interesting? Absolutely! The idea is to promote curiosity which can build bridges of understanding and compassion.

How do you present a topic with triggers?

My presentation on ‘surviving the bad boss’ provided tools and strategies for self-care, learning to know what makes you happy and mentally recharged every day and especially when dealing with a ‘bad boss’. Using an orange toolkit, my favourite colour by the way, everyone got to see the practical and visual side of self-care with the pen (document/journal), orange nail polish( it is the little things we do for ourselves that give us the mental health re-charge), orange spatula (having hobbies), book-Women Not Wanted(encouraging others to speak up and provide awareness on the need for a healthy workplace and help the bad boss too), the runner (the benefits of fitness), scissors (understanding how to detach from toxic behaviours) and the University grad cap (knowledge is power, learning another way to respond/listen, communicate) etc. The idea is that everyone can create their own mental health tool kit for happiness and empowerment that fits with who they are today and everyday. We cannot change others but we can change how we value ourselves, be empowered knowing we can also create our own happiness for better mental health.

Everyone has their own interpretation of the day.

Based on my own perspective of the conference I would like to add that I thoroughly enjoyed being part of the day, in presenting, listening and learning from the other speakers and the opportunity to talk with you, those sitting at the table and in the audience. Each of you have enriched my life. Remember to believe in the power of your voice and create your own self-care tool kit for better mental health. Yes you can!