Our ShoutOut! team recently read the Australian Computer Society article ‘The silent stigma of mental health in the tech industry’ published in May this year written by one of our tech community leaders Ming Johanson. The self-styled ‘Mother Of Unicorns’ and winner of the 2019 Women In Tech award and start-up mentor is also a mental health ambassador for RUOK? 

The article is a great read where Ming asks the question “how will people look back and tell their ‘story’ of surviving and thriving in the Great Apocalypse of 2020?”. How did your workplace support you? The myth that because a lot of tech people work from home that somehow they are immune to the effects of the pandemic and the isolation it caused can be considered short-sighted.

Ming’s sage advice of reaching out not only to your team but also to your community as a leader and being authentically vulnerable is not a sign of weakness but a remarkable sign of strength and courage. Ming’s encouragement to strengthen our ties with people helps break the stigma of isolation. 

The truth Ming so elegantly puts it is, as leaders we do not need to ‘maintain an illusion of strength’ especially in these times as it can be draining and counterproductive. Being realistic as a leader and sharing your struggles allows your team to know they are in a safe space. 

Ming encourages communication, community and connection not just in her articles but in her own life and it’s something the ShoutOut! team gets behind.

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