Can leaders show vulnerability at work and still be effective?

In this bonus episode, Aoife explores the biggest insights from her conversation with workplace mental health expert Melissa Doman. Together, they challenge the myth that leaders must be “psychologically above” the human experience and unpack what happens when leaders feel they must appear superhuman.

This episode offers practical ways leaders can show up as human, and explains how a leader’s emotional state shapes team culture more than they may realise.

Many organisations expect leaders to be:

1. More resilient
2. Less impacted by stress
3. Always composed
4. In need of less support
5. 
   

This creates an impossible double standard:

1. Be human enough to support others
2. Be superhuman enough to need nothing
3. 
   

When leaders suppress their humanity, it doesn’t strengthen leadership, it creates distance, reduces safety, and can lead to behaviours later labelled as toxic.

Where have you been coping until now, and what will you do differently after this episode?

Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:

1. Website
2. LinkedIn
3. YouTube

Connect with Melissa Doman | Organisational psychologist and leadership mental health expert:

1. Website
2. LinkedIn

Listen to my conversation with Melissa Doman:

Episode 294: The Realities of Leadership Mental Health with Melissa Doman

About Happier at Work

Happier at Work is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.

If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work.

Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.

Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.

Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

Mentioned in this episode:

Thriving Talent book

Book

Who supports the mental health of leaders in your workplace?

In the latest episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Aoife O'Brien welcomes back organisational psychologist and leadership mental health expert Melissa Doman. This honest and eye-opening conversation explores why it’s crucial to support not just employees, but leaders as well. Melissa reveals how leaders are often expected to have it all figured out and endlessly support others, while their own mental health needs are overlooked. Drawing on research and her forthcoming book "Cornered Office," Melissa explains the hidden pressures leaders face, the human cost of dehumanising leadership roles, and tangible strategies to help leaders show up authentically at work.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

1. The myth that leaders naturally have better mental health and don’t need support is untrue and harmful.
2. How workplace systems and society often perpetuate the idea that leaders should be strong, have all the answers, and not show weakness.
3. The SCARF model (Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, Fairness), and how it helps leaders and employees identify workplace triggers and address unmet needs.
4. Practical coping methods for leaders, including emotional awareness, open communication, appropriate boundary-setting, and knowing when to seek external support.

Related Topics Covered:

Power Dynamics at Work, Stereotypes, Boundaries at Work

Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:

1. Website
2. LinkedIn
3. YouTube

Connect with Melissa Doman | Organisational psychologist and leadership mental health expert:

1. Website
2. LinkedIn

Related Episodes You’ll Love:

Episode 242: Transforming Mental Health Conversations at Work with Melissa Doman

About Happier at Work®

Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.

If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.

Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.

Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.

Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

Mentioned in this episode:

Thriving Talent book

Book

Have you ever thought:

“I’m successful on paper… but I don’t feel fulfilled.”

You’ve got the senior title.

The salary is strong.

People respect you.

And yet something feels… off.

In this Listener Question episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Aoife O’Brien explores why external career success doesn’t always translate into internal fulfilment — and what to do about it.

If you’re a mid-career or senior leader, particularly in a commercial or client-facing role, this episode will help you understand the hidden drivers behind career dissatisfaction — even when everything “looks good” from the outside.

In just five minutes, Aoife breaks down the four key areas that determine whether your success feels meaningful:

Are you building your career around what genuinely matters to you — or someone else’s definition of success?

Are your core needs (autonomy, connection, competence, recognition, challenge) being met in your current role?

Are you using your natural strengths daily — or mainly operating in areas that drain your energy?

Has your organisation evolved in a different direction to you?

This episode is especially relevant if you are:

1. A senior leader questioning your next move
2. A high performer feeling unexpectedly flat
3. A commercial or client-facing leader navigating growth and pressure
4. Considering whether to change role, redefine success, or redesign your current one

You don’t necessarily need a new job. But you may need greater alignment.

1. Where is there a gap between what I value and what my work rewards?
2. Which of my core needs are consistently unmet?
3. When was the last time I felt energised at work — and what was I doing?

Fulfilment isn’t about achieving more.

It’s about aligning more deeply.

This episode is part of the Listener Question format.

If you’d like Aoife to answer your question in a future episode, email:

[email protected]

(Names are never shared without permission.)

If you haven’t already, please take two minutes to complete the Happier at Work Listener Survey. Your input directly shapes future episodes and topics.

👉 Complete the survey here:

https://happieratwork.ie/survey

Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, workplace culture strategist and author of Thriving Talent, the Happier at Work podcast explores leadership, engagement, performance, psychological safety, and career fulfilment for ambitious professionals in global organisations.

New episodes every week.

Are you searching for the secret to truly motivating your team?

In this solo episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Aoife O'Brien dives deep into what drives genuine motivation in today’s workplace. Building on previous discussions about workplace culture and psychological safety, Aoife unpacks the "drivers" pillar from her soon-to-be-released Thriving Talent framework. Drawing from research, personal experience, and practical examples, she explores the universal psychological needs we all share, the unique motivators that can vary from person to person, and the derailers that can sabotage engagement and performance, even when money is on the table.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

1. The three universal psychological needs based on self-determination theory: autonomy, competence, and relatedness
2. Why motivation is not a one-size-fits-all solution
3. The importance of understanding the individual needs and frustrations of your team
4. Why striking a "Goldilocks" balance in autonomy and challenge is crucial

Related Topics Covered:

Psychological Safety, Work-life Balance, Autonomy at Work

Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:

1. Website
2. LinkedIn
3. YouTube

Related Episodes You’ll Love:

Episode 279: Trust & High Performance at Work

Episode 149: Discovering your motive mindset with Kelly Mackin

About Happier at Work®

Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.

If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.

Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.

Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

Mentioned in this episode:

Thriving Talent book

Book

Most leaders say they want learning.

Most organisations reward certainty.

In this bonus episode, Aoife translates one of the most easily-missed tensions from her conversation with Amy Edmondson: psychological safety doesn’t fail because leaders don’t care, it fails because leaders underestimate how strongly the system nudges people towards silence, agreement, and self-protection.

This isn’t about being “nice”, creating comfort, or running better meetings.

It’s about what your operating model reinforces under pressure:

1. targets that reward low ambition
2. performance systems that breed impression management
3. hierarchy that makes dissent feel like risk
4. speed that crowds out sense-making

If you’re not hearing dissent, uncertainty, or bad news, it’s not because it isn’t there. It’s because it’s being managed — often for you.

Where might your system be rewarding agreement while you’re asking for learning?

Stop asking “Do people feel safe?” and start asking: “What does our system make risky and who pays the price for speaking the truth?”

Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:

1. Website
2. LinkedIn
3. YouTube

Connect with Amy Edmondson | World-renowned Expert in Psychological Safety:

1. Website
2. LinkedIn
3. 
   

Related Episodes You’ll Love:

Episode 240: Meaningful Work Through Simplification with Lisa Bodell

About Happier at Work

Happier at Work is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.

If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work.

Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.

Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.

Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

Are you creating the right conditions for your team to learn and thrive?

In this episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Aoife O'Brien is joined by world-renowned expert in psychological safety, Amy Edmondson. Together, they dive deep into what psychological safety truly means in the workplace, why it is essential for organisational learning, innovation, and effective teamwork, and how leaders can practically build it within their teams. Drawing on decades of research, Amy shares actionable strategies, common pitfalls, and the foundational role of conversation, candor, and curiosity in creating environments where people feel safe to speak up, share dissenting views, and take interpersonal risks for the benefit of collective excellence.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

1. Why impression management, hierarchy, and the pressure to “know it all” can undermine curiosity, learning, and innovation.
2. The impact of a lack of psychological safety at work.
3. How to test for psychological safety at work, and the signs to watch out for.
4. The importance of continuous, learning-oriented feedback conversations, and why they are more effective than annual subjective evaluations.

Related Topics Covered:

Collaboration at Work, Feedback, Setting Boundaries

Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:

1. Website
2. LinkedIn
3. YouTube

Connect with Amy Edmondson | World-renowned Expert in Psychological Safety:

1. Website
2. LinkedIn

Related Episodes You’ll Love:

Episode 66: Workplace psychological Safety with Susan Ní Chriodáin

Episode 68: Embracing the gentle art of humble inquiry with Edgar and Peter Schein

About Happier at Work®

Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.

If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.

Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.

Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.

Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

In this Listener Question episode of Happier at Work, Aoife O’Brien responds to a question many leaders wrestle with:

How do you know when a workplace is toxic — and when it’s time to leave rather than trying to fix it?

Following this week’s solo episode on how toxic workplaces are created, this conversation focuses on the personal decision leaders face when they’re inside one.

This episode isn’t about resilience or coping strategies. It’s about judgement.

Aoife explores why leaders often stay longer than others in unhealthy environments, the hidden cost of trying to “hold things together,” and how to tell the difference between a tough phase and a culture that’s unlikely to change.

You’ll hear:

1. Why toxicity shows up in patterns, not isolated moments
2. The unique pressure leaders feel to fix dysfunctional systems
3. Three signals that staying may be costing more than it’s giving
4. How values erosion and shrinking influence show up over time
5. Why leaving can be an act of clarity, not failure

Aoife also shares reflective questions to help you think through your own situation — without rushing to drastic decisions or defaulting to endurance.

If you’re a leader who feels responsible for your team but increasingly disconnected from your environment, this episode will help you pause, assess, and trust your judgement.

1. What behaviours have I normalised that I once found unacceptable?
2. Where am I spending more energy protecting myself or others than doing my best work?
3. If nothing changed over the next year, what would the cost be to my health, values, and leadership identity?

If you have a question you’d like Aoife to answer in a future Listener Question episode, email [email protected].

You don’t have to share your name if you’d prefer.

Take our listener survey: https://happieratwork.ie/survey

Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

Have you ever wondered why toxic workplace cultures are so widespread, even when no one sets out to create them?

In this solo episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Aoife O'Brien dives deep into the root causes and far-reaching impact of toxic work environments. Drawing insights directly from her upcoming book, Thriving Talent, Aoife unpacks how unintended toxicity takes hold in organisations, the subtle ways it spreads, and the critical role leaders play in either fostering or dismantling unhealthy cultures. She breaks down her Thriving Talent framework, examines the cost of ignored behaviors, and offers reflective questions to empower leaders to create workplaces where people truly thrive.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

1. How organisations fuel toxicity through the behaviours they reward, tolerate, or ignore.
2. The importance of reflecting on the behaviours that you allow tha contradict your values.
3. The consequences of a toxic workplace culture, including high-performing employees burning out or leaving, inconsistency and churn for clients, and mounting leader frustration.

Related Topics Covered:

Psychological Safety, Positive Workplace Culture, Autonomy at Work

Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:

1. Website
2. LinkedIn
3. YouTube

Related Episodes You’ll Love:

Episode 279: Trust & High Performance at Work

Episode 289: Leadership Choices that Define your Culture

About Happier at Work®

Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.

If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.

Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.

Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

Mentioned in this episode:

Thriving Talent book

Book

Are you struggling with constant busyness and overwhelm at work?

In this week’s bonus episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Aoife O'Brien breaks down the practical strategies for overcoming stress and maximising impact at work, no matter your role or industry from her conversation with James Louttit, project management expert and author.

Drawing from personal experience and his extensive background leading teams, James reveals how shifting from an “effort over impact” mindset can supercharge both productivity and well-being. The conversation moves beyond conventional project management techniques, focusing on real-world, actionable steps you can implement right away to prioritise, delegate, and deliver value without burning out.

In James’ Episode, You’ll Discover:

1. Why busyness is the biggest obstacle to impactful work.
2. The importance of prioritisation.
3. The crucial role of transparent communication for leaders and teams when new priorities derail ongoing projects.
4. The value of creating space for deep thinking.

Related Topics Covered:

Purpose at Work, Productivity, Boundaries at Work

Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:

1. Website
2. LinkedIn
3. YouTube

Connect with James Louttit | Project management expert and author:

1. Book
2. LinkedIn

Related Episodes You’ll Love:

Episode 240: Meaningful Work Through Simplification with Lisa Bodell

About Happier at Work®

Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.

If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.

Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.

Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.

Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

Mentioned in this episode:

Thriving Talent book

Book

Are you struggling with constant busyness and overwhelm at work?

In the latest episode of the Happier at Work podcast, Aoife O'Brien sits down with project management expert and author James Louttit for a deep dive into practical strategies for overcoming stress and maximizing impact at work, no matter your role or industry. Drawing from personal experience and his extensive background leading teams, James reveals how shifting from an “effort over impact” mindset can supercharge both productivity and well-being. The conversation moves beyond conventional project management techniques, focusing on real-world, actionable steps you can implement right away to prioritise, delegate, and deliver value without burning out.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

1. Why busyness is the biggest obstacle to impactful work.
2. The importance of prioritisation.
3. The crucial role of transparent communication for leaders and teams when new priorities derail ongoing projects.
4. The value of creating space for deep thinking.

Related Topics Covered:

Purpose at Work, Productivity, Boundaries at Work

Connect with Aoife O’Brien | Host of Happier at Work®:

1. Website
2. LinkedIn
3. YouTube

Connect with James Louttit | Project management expert and author:

1. Book
2. LinkedIn

Related Episodes You’ll Love:

Episode 240: Meaningful Work Through Simplification with Lisa Bodell

About Happier at Work®

Happier at Work® is the podcast for business leaders who want to create meaningful, human-centric workplaces. Hosted by Aoife O’Brien, the show explores leadership, career clarity, imposter syndrome, workplace culture, and employee engagement — helping you and your team thrive.

If you enjoy podcasts like WorkLife with Adam Grant, The Happiness Lab, or Squiggly Careers, you’ll love Happier at Work®.

Join Aoife O’Brien for weekly insights on leadership, workplace culture, career clarity, imposter syndrome, and creating work that works for you.

Editing by Amanda Fitzgerald.

Website: https://happieratwork.ie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aoifemobrien/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappierAtWorkHQ

Mentioned in this episode:

Thriving Talent book

Book