Mental Health Awareness Month is a time to discuss the importance of mental health, but as Linda Lafortune shares in her poignant reflection, it’s not just about talking — it’s about living these values every day, especially as leaders in the workplace.
Lafortune recalls a powerful moment when her 20-year-old son asked her, “Are you sure you’re OK?” After years of navigating his own challenges, including the tragic loss of his father to suicide, this simple question struck a deeper chord than ever before. It was a reflection of their emotional environment—one built on honesty, trust, and presence. In that moment, her son wasn’t just checking in; he was showing up for her. This exchange serves as a reminder of how important it is to not only discuss mental health but to genuinely live it out, especially in leadership roles.
In her over 30 years in the credit union industry, Lafortune has seen firsthand the importance of authentic leadership when it comes to mental health. She emphasizes that there’s a stark difference between organizations that truly embody mental health support and those that only pay lip service during awareness months like May.
The truth is clear: symbolic gestures like putting up a poster or sending an email during Mental Health Awareness Month are not enough. Employees can quickly feel the disconnect if these actions are not followed up with real support, resources, and accountability. In fact, these hollow gestures can harm organizational trust, leaving employees feeling unsupported and disengaged.
The key to successful, resilient, and employee-centric workplaces is to treat mental health and emotional well-being as integral to leadership, not as an annual campaign. Lafortune outlines what makes organizations truly effective in supporting mental health:
Leadership Competencies: Leaders must be trained to understand emotional intelligence, how to have compassionate conversations, create psychological safety, and model vulnerability in healthy ways.
Cultural Expectations: Mental health should be integrated into all aspects of an organization, from onboarding and team meetings to strategic planning. It should not be left solely to HR or wellness committees.
Accountability & Support: Leaders should be held accountable for both their performance and the well-being of their teams. This includes investing in emotional intelligence and mental wellness training as part of the leadership development process.
The credit union model, built on relationships and a philosophy of serving people, must extend this caring approach internally as well. Lafortune notes that leaders don’t need to fix everything, but they can create an environment where employees feel seen, supported, and safe.
Practical steps include:
Checking in regularly with real interest, not performatively.
Modeling boundaries and self-care as leaders.
Making mental health resources visible and stigma-free.
Rewarding empathy and emotional intelligence as essential leadership traits.
Lafortune concludes with a personal reflection. Her son’s question, “Are you sure you’re OK?” has become a guiding reminder for her leadership. Sometimes, leadership is in the quiet moments of presence — the willingness to pause, ask, listen, and support. She stresses that even those who seem the strongest still need support, and that creating a space for vulnerability in both home and organizational settings is a courageous act.
As credit union professionals, Lafortune challenges all leaders to go beyond surface-level conversations about mental health. This Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s build, model, resource, and expect a culture of mental wellness in our organizations. When we do, we create workplaces where employees thrive—not just survive.
Creating a thriving workplace isn’t just about doing good; it’s about smart business that pays off in productivity, resilience, and innovation. That’s a culture worth investing in.
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