Thread by @ryan_caldbeck

1/ Feeling so grateful to @mahendra_gr and @techcrunch for covering such an important topic: The mental health of founders.
techcrunch.com/2018/09/10/inv…

2/ I think almost all founders struggle with these emotional issues-but there are so few that talk about it. Why? Fear of being the only one not “crushing it”, fear of what it will mean with potential investors/customers/employees, fear of not living up to expectations.

3/ I deal with these feelings every day. It is a struggle.

https://twitter.com/ryan_caldbeck/status/1000757134403846144

4/ Because there has historically been a reluctance to talk about it, founders feel even more isolated/lonely. It’s a vicious cycle that is so hard to break out of.

5/ How do you just tell your friends/family, co-workers “actually I don’t feel like we’re crushing it” or “actually this is a really hard and lonely journey”?

Especially when you’ve been saying the opposite to them for months/years.

6/ Over the last few months there have been more leaders publicly talking out about these mental health issues in many fields. Every time I see it I feel grateful to the person writing/sharing honestly.

7/ I feel grateful @KevinLove had the courage to write this piece earlier this year about mental health.

theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles…

8/ And thankful that @clubtrillion continues to talk about it in such a human way- unpolished by PR, just raw emotion.
iheart.com/podcast/334-Th…

9/ Mark Titus's thoughts on it being hard for someone that is supposed to be “strong” (i.e. an athlete) to discuss these mental health issues resonates so much for me as a founder always expected to lead.

10/ It is hard to be vulnerable. Even if you know that everyone is going through something. The culture in tech only makes it harder.

11/ There are actions I’ve taken -mostly on advice from others – that have helped my journey. A mgmt coach, a CEO peer group, Transcendental Meditation. I’ve also begun blocking out 2 hours in my workday at the office just for solitary work- that headspace is helpful for me.

12/ A non-obvious (for me) suggestion I’m following is reducing the # of calls/mtgs that aren’t core to my personal OKRs. I used to take 5-10 a wk, easily. Now I’m trying to take 1-2.

13/ The logic- from my mgmt. coach- is those calls are a) taxing on me mentally, b) not that authentic (to the question “how is it going?” I say “oh great” instead of “actually every day is like chewing glass, even when things are working.”).

14/ I try to talk to my family and friends more but I’m still not good at that. I want to get better at having those real conversations with people I love.

15/ When I read the blog above from @mahendra_gr I began to wonder- what if there were more human interest stories in tech? Just the real journey of starting a company- nothing about fundraising rounds, or companies that cant keep up with the growth.

16/ An analogy is The Players Tribune in sports. Sports reporting was far more saturated than tech reporting. Players tribune has worked because it hit on something new: The human angle.

17/ The personal journey of an athlete, the challenges they overcame. Not a self-serving blog, but something real, raw. Something your PR person might hate- but that you would love to read.
theplayerstribune.com/en-us

18/ If the equivalent existed in tech- perhaps as a part of one of the major tech blogs or independent, I would read religiously. I also think it would help change the culture- by making it more ok to demonstrate that vulnerability.

19/ Today the tech press too often feels a bit like Facebook. Everything is either amazing (baby photos = funding rounds, big exits) or horrible (personal tragedy = company closing down). But very little humanity. Why?

20/ The journey is lonely. We can help build a real sense of community through genuine stories.

21/ Some are already trying to get those stories out there. @RyanHawk12 at Learning Leader helps tell genuine, raw, authentic stories.

22/ Interestingly while i think founders (and many people in positions of power) are scared to be vulnerable, I think vulnerability helps to build trust and helps encourage others to follow you.

https://twitter.com/ryan_caldbeck/status/1013626221601738754

23/ But that doesn’t make it easier. I think seeing more public examples may. And by making it easier to be yourself, your whole self, I think it will help make the entire journey more enjoyable and healthier.

24/ I see a future where vulnerability becomes normal, even table stakes in a strong organization.

It is shown to create a strong team after all:
ideas.ted.com/how-showing-vu…