Some people find it difficult to think of their boss as a human being.

This isn’t meant to be facetious. It’s just reality.

Regardless of the size of a business, there are always employees who will label the company leader a control freak, a tyrant, aloof, or any number of unflattering terms.

In some cases, leaders deserve it. But Colleen MacDougall, an Edmonton chartered psychologist, says we should try and look beyond the leader’s exterior, because in her words, many of them are taking a beating.

They’ve fallen into the trap of being a “super survivor,” taking on more responsibility than they can handle, MacDougall says.

Colleen MacDougall photo
Edmonton chartered psychologist Colleen MacDougall.

Her comments suggest that many top-level executives are struggling to get up for work in the morning, have trouble staying alert and motivated, and aren’t making good decisions.

Many administrators and middle managers suffer as well, MacDougall says. And the level of addiction abuse, anxiety and depression in the leadership ranks is a serious problem.

“It’s a current issue and it doesn’t get talked about very much,” she says. “Leaders are getting beat up, but they aren’t looking for help. Their mentality is that they are supposed to be strong, take it all on their shoulders.

“Research might show that 25 per cent of executives are depressed. My professional experience says that half are in the high-risk category.”

MacDougall calls it a silent issue, something which the workplace should be thinking about more seriously. In Edmonton, she sits on a committee of like-minded people, many who have influence within their organizations. The group is discussing the leadership issue and looking for solutions.

In some cases, the committee members haven’t told their bosses about their involvement, “which kind of tells you about the (sensitivity of the) issue,” she says.

If we want to build more sustainable workplaces, MacDougall believes a good starting point is the creation of a more humanistic environment – by trying to genuinely understand what a co-worker, manager, and CEO is trying to accomplish.

“If people try to get some genuine insight into why a person behaves or leads a certain way, we might find a way to support them, to see them as a human being.”

For example, the psychological makeup of leaders suggests that they’ve likely faced circumstances while growing up that honed, or even over- developed, certain traits in themselves.

Leaders may have built a belief system that it’s their responsibility to take care of everything and everyone, to shoulder extra responsibility, to be the peacemaker. Their reasoning? “Because I can.”

The problem is that in today’s business environment, the agenda piles higher each day. But the super survivor keeps going, can’t ask for help, and begins to crack.

Contributing to the leader’s conundrum is that in difficult times, people feel powerless, and look expectantly for leadership from the top.

As the strain grows, many leaders deny their own needs and pain, turn to drugs or alcohol, or become increasingly anxious and depressed. Consequently, they are unable to recognize the problems of their employees and the business.

We have high expectations of our leaders, and if they don’t succeed, we distrust them, criticize them a lot, and turn to the “old idea” that it’s part of their job to assume responsibility, MacDougall says.

It’s a negative scenario, where no one wins. Bosses push harder; employees offer no emotional support. MacDougall concedes it’s a difficult situation. A leader, even if he/she recognizes their health is suffering, may find it impossible to seek help. Admitting weakness is too often the kiss of death in the corporate world.

Alternately, how does an employee tell a boss his/her behaviour is less than human?

In the latter case, employees can voice their opinions through company surveys, or even pass information on to boards of directors. If the situation allows, it may be done face-to-face.

If the employee seeks out a leader and genuinely tries to understand the leader’s motivation, that alone may help the employee provide the emotional support the employer needs.

“If you trust their goodwill, trust their intentions instead of assuming they are there to control you . . . we can support people,” MacDougall says.

She adds that it may be possible to challenge the leader to grow by giving them feedback that needs to be heard.

As a therapist, but also as an entrepreneur, MacDougall can relate to the demands of leadership. She has always been the type of person who carried the load, embodying the “good Christian ethic” of digging in and working hard. Though she never reached the “super survivor” mode, she was growing fatigued in recent years. This year, she consciously decided to cut her workload, and with it her income.

As the president of her own company, Leadership for Life Institute, she works as a therapist, teaches at St. Stephen’s College, and is an organizational consultant. She has simplified her life to better focus on her clients and friends. Already feeling better for the change, MacDougall thinks it’s a healthier path more leaders should consider.

“My hope is that more leaders will find a way to use their talents, but live out life in a way that is meaningful and rich, but simpler.”