What does it really cost to lead when you’re expected to have all the answers, show no cracks, and carry the weight of everyone around you?
In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli sits down with Melissa Doman—organizational psychologist, leadership consultant, and author of Cornered Office: Why We Need to Talk About Leadership Mental Health. Drawing on her clinical background and deep work with leaders inside organizations, Melissa challenges one of the most persistent and damaging assumptions in leadership: that those in charge should somehow operate above the realities of being human.
The conversation goes beyond surface-level discussions of well-being and into the structural and cultural narratives that shape leadership behavior. Melissa unpacks how we’ve conditioned ourselves to expect leaders to be consistently strong, composed, and unaffected—and how that expectation not only isolates leaders but also undermines trust, performance, and long-term effectiveness. She introduces a more nuanced view of leadership—one that doesn’t abandon accountability or standards, but integrates self-awareness, intentional communication, and sustainable ways of managing pressure.
Importantly, this isn’t a theoretical conversation. Melissa offers practical ways leaders can begin shifting how they show up—without oversharing, without losing credibility, and without putting themselves at risk in environments that may not yet be ready for these conversations. From understanding when it’s safe to open up, to communicating with clarity so teams don’t misinterpret behavior, to building personal “non-negotiables” that protect mental well-being, the discussion is grounded in real-world leadership challenges.
For CEOs and senior executives, this episode is a chance to step back and reflect on a question that rarely gets asked directly: not just how you’re leading others, but what your current approach to leadership is costing you—and what it might take to lead more effectively without carrying it all alone.

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