A Cure for the Common Company

8How to Be the Best Boss: Lead with Well‐Being

LEADERS HAVE THE SAME CHALLENGES as everyone else, including the need to attend to the health of a family member. Ellen Derrick, a managing partner at Deloitte Management Consulting, makes a concerted effort to focus on her own well‐being as she supports her daughter Kate, who has cystic fibrosis and diabetes. When Kate had to be hospitalized, Ellen shared, on social media, her own well‐being plan that helped her cope with the circumstances. Ellen recognized the need to take care of herself, and that meant finding joy through friends, music, and comedy. Ellen tried to keep her schedule as normal as possible, and at the same time, learn to give herself permission to lower the expectations of herself during this period.¹

Similar to Mark Bertolini, Aetna's CEO, who divulged his own mental health challenges, thereby making it easier for others at Aetna to share their struggles, Ellen received an outpouring of support.

In addition to setting the expectations for an organization, a leader also needs to be unafraid to be vulnerable. This makes it easier for the rest of the workforce to not only seek help, but to also tighten relationships over similar struggles.

You don't have to be at the top of your organization, like Ellen and Mark, to make a difference in the health and well‐being of the people you lead. There is leadership across all levels and all parts of the organization that, when applied, will create the energy needed to allow ...