Breaking down silos, shaping dreams, and the courage to leap

The Mental Breakdown - Edition #89

From the Coaches

Claude Blanc offers practical strategies for breaking down departmental silos in companies, emphasizing the importance of transparent communication, open dialogue, and trust-building in How to Break Down Silos and Enhance Effective Communication in Your Organization.

Angie Witkowski offers a three-step guide your clients can use to shape their dreams and find a path to success in 3 Steps to Help Shape your Dreams and to Ignite Your Path for Success.

CB Bowman-Ottomanelli speaks with Joia Nuri, who shares her experiences transitioning from a human rights communication strategist to a coach in executive leadership and public speaking in Courage to Leap & Lead with Joia Nuri, part 1.

Jeanette Jordan explores the necessary steps for successfully navigating career changes and persistently pursuing new career paths with a clear and adaptable personal brand in How to Pivot Your Career Path and Thrive.

John Mattone emphasizes the significance of non-negative thinking in leadership, advocating for leaders to build strong inner cores with positive attitudes and beliefs in Harnessing the Power of Non-Negative Thinking for Effective Leadership.

Tutti Taygerly outlines the distinct roles and benefits of mentors and coaches in professional development in Mentor vs Coach: What Support Do You Need for Professional Success.

Coach Spotlight: Dr. Matthew Jones

A question worth asking (and why)
What contributes to the stigma surrounding founder mental health (and what will it take to overcome)? 

Many VC's are two-faced—publicly supporting founder mental health, but not allocating funds to these initiatives behind closed doors. Founders, fearful of how they will be perceived and how that perception might influence fundraising, often choose silence and anonymity when receiving coaching and therapy. Challenging these narratives could unlock more productivity, execution, and joy while building.

A concept worth understanding (and why)
I hate the superficial social media dialogue around burnout. Burnout isn't solved by self-care and is not synonymous with exhaustion. Burnout is your soul's calling for a new way of engaging with yourself, others, and life itself. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.

An activity worth doing (and why)
Have a date night with your romantic and business partner. Make time to learn more about their inner world. Take a deep dive into how you are communicating and working together. Identify and express your needs so you can scale your communication. Relationships—whether personal or professional—take effort to improve.

A quote or saying worth repeating (and why)
When I am grounded, this quote helps me find presence. When I am not grounded, it reminds me of what is most important.

"No matter what arises (or does not arise), you Are Only Consciousness Itself." — Adi Da Samraj.

A founder/executive worth following (and why):
Elon Musk is worth following and his biography is worth reading, but not for the reasons you think. The greatest entrepreneur of our generation survived abuse and neglect, which contribute to his boyish glee, dark episodes of rage, impulsivity, and brilliant visionary tendencies. The mirror he holds reveals the inner wounds we cover through achievement. Uncomfortable reflections, indeed.

Recommendations by Cofounder Coach, Licensed Psychologist, and I-was-in-school-too-long Dr. Matthew Jones

From the Operators & Investors

Holly Cardew takes issue with the idea that founders shouldn’t take breaks, especially when their company might need them, in To My Founder Friends: Take a Break When You Need One.

Scott Orn offers tips on how founders can prepare themselves and their company after a co-founder leaves in How to Handle a Co-Founder Departure.  

Oh hey, what’s Heyday?

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The Mental Breakdown curates first-person stories about the challenges of leadership and tips from executive coaches on how to navigate them in a free daily newsletter.