From an early age, men have had a complicated relationship with mental health. For generations, men have been taught to equate strength with stoicism: to “man up,” to hide pain, and to keep emotions buried. And these dynamics often carry into—and are reinforced by—the workplace. Today, this might look like growing trends we’re seeing in leadership, from top-down mandates to layoffs as a strategy and fear-based management approaches.
Fortunately, many men are recognizing that traditional ideas about masculinity can harm not only their own well-being, but also the people under their leadership at work. As mental health becomes a bigger part of how we think about work, it’s clear that the old definitions of masculinity need to evolve.
Earlier this year, Mind Share Partners hosted a roundtable on men’s mental health and the future of leadership with experts Dr. Allen Lipscomb, Clinician and professor of Social Work at the California State University Northridge; David Pritchard, former Colleague Wellbeing Manager at Hyatt Hotels; and Brandon Saho, Founder and host of The Mental Game podcast. Here are a few takeaways from the session.
From personal to purposeful
Storytelling is a powerful stigma-buster in the workplace. Each expert shared their personal connection to mental health and how it’s shaped their perspective as leaders.
Dr. Allen Lipscomb recalled experiencing racialized trauma at age 14, long before he had language for what he was feeling. “It manifested as depression, anxiety, and grief,” he said. “It wasn’t until years later, as I studied psychology and began practicing as a clinician, that I recognized how those experiences shaped my understanding of trauma — not only in communities, but within systems and organizations.”
For David Pritchard, growing up as the youngest of nine children to a single mother in Los Angeles, mental health was always part of the backdrop, even if unspoken. “I watched my mom carry the weight of the world,” he said. “She was strong on the outside, but underneath, she was struggling. That taught me early on that people can look fine but still be hurting deeply.”
And for Brandon Saho, a sports journalist turned advocate, the pressure to “keep it down” led to crisis. “I had my first suicidal thought at 14,” he shared. “For years, I was told men don’t cry and that emotions are weakness. But I learned that vulnerability is strength. That realization saved my life.” Now, Saho uses his podcast to have open conversations with athletes, musicians, and public figures about mental health. “This is about humanity,” he said. “The more we talk about our stories, the more lives we save.”
Storytelling as a bridge
All three panelists agreed that storytelling is one of the most powerful tools for changing perceptions of mental health, including for men.
Saho sees this firsthand with his podcast audience. “When someone like Terry Crews (an American actor and former professional football player) shares his story publicly on experiencing suicidal thoughts, it breaks the illusion that success protects you from poor mental health,” he said. “Crews told me he worried a brand would drop him after he spoke about addiction, but instead, they stood by him. That’s what corporate allyship looks like.”
For Pritchard, storytelling is not just cathartic but a strategic priority in the workplace. “I think storytelling is a great and accessible way to start taking action around mental health at work,” he said. You can have the best wellness tools in the world, but if people don’t feel seen and safe, they won’t use them. A mentally healthy work culture starts with leaders modeling openness.”
When Pritchard’s team at Hyatt dug into the employee feedback, it pointed to leadership having a large influence on colleague-led programs. So they started there. “We went to our CEO, our CHRO, and said: would you talk about your mental health?” Pritchard recalled. “They didn’t hesitate. And it became the most successful program we’ve ever run.”
The storytelling initiative at Hyatt sparked conversations in the organization worldwide, including among male leaders who had never felt permission to be open before. “When men talk about their struggles, it changes the whole culture and creates psychological safety.” Pritchard said.
Saho’s biggest takeaway from his work is that our stories are powerful connectors and stigma busters. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a psychiatrist, if you’re leading well-being at Hyatt, or if you’re playing the NFL. We all go through stuff, and that’s been the thing that has really stuck out to me.”
Male leadership in the workplace can evolve
What emerged from the panelists was a new definition of leadership, rooted in authenticity, empathy, and self-awareness. According to a recent Harvard Business Impact report, empathy has become one of the most sought-after leadership traits, as workers now expect leaders to show genuine concern, care, and emotional intelligence in how they lead.
“Everyone struggles,” Saho said. “I’ve talked to NFL stars, CEOs, and college students, and the theme is the same. When leaders are honest about what they’re going through, it builds trust and connection. Teams perform better when people feel emotionally safe.”
Dr. Lipscomb agrees. “Gone are the days where we can separate who we are from what we do,” he said. “Leaders who practice curiosity, transparency, and consistency create belonging. Authenticity isn’t weakness; it’s what makes leadership sustainable.”
In a world marked by burnout, polarization, and constant change, that shift may be exactly what organizations need. “Good leadership,” Lipscomb concluded, “is not about perfection. It’s about being human and giving others permission to be human too.”
Work culture can help or hinder men’s struggles
The dynamics that make it hard for men to open up don’t stop at the office door. “We often overlook trauma that happens within systems,” Dr. Lipscomb explained. “People carry grief and stress from their communities into their workplaces, and when organizations don’t address that, they perpetuate the cycle.”
From people and policies to workplace systems and daily experiences, many factors influence mental health at work. Early workplace mental health efforts often focused on benefits, but benefits alone don’t address the real drivers of stress — like excessive workloads, harassment, unfair practices, and more.
In his work, Dr. Lipscomb describes a concept called “healing enough.” It recognizes that people can only recover to the extent that harm stops being done to them — and the same applies to workplaces. This also applies to the workplace. “You can’t heal fully if the trauma keeps happening,” he said. “For men, and especially men of color, this means creating environments where they’re seen, validated, and not forced to internalize oppression.”
For Pritchard and Hyatt Hotels, the goal has been to build a culture of care for their colleagues. Partnering with Mind Share Partners, the company launched a global mental health initiative, with a key component of the strategy grounded in employee voice and storytelling
A new perspective on masculinity
The future of leadership depends on our ability to redefine a future that works for everyone. In today’s workplaces, that means treating vulnerability not as a liability, it’s a leadership skill.
Leaders who can talk openly about mental health signal to their teams that it’s safe to do the same. They help dismantle outdated stereotypes about masculinity and create cultures of care that drive both well-being and performance. And these cultures then get institutionalized into rules, policies, and norms around hiring, promotion, performance, and more.
As Saho put it: “Vulnerability is strength. And the more we talk, the more lives we save.”