The Leadership Styles That Help (and Hurt) Employee Mental Health
A few years ago, while waiting for an airport shuttle, I struck up a conversation with a mechanic from Delta Airlines.
He confided in me that he been struggling with depression.
And when I shared that I worked in workplace wellbeing, he said: “Yeah, I tried our company employee assistance program.”
Then he paused. “But it didn’t do a damn thing about my boss.”
Another pause. “He was the problem all along.”
Then he looked at me and asked: “How do you fix that?”
And honestly? THAT is the question.
What the Research Is Actually Telling Us
It’s Mental Health Awareness Month. And lots of companies, like Delta Airlines, are laser-focused on addressing the rise in employee distress.
In fact, a 15-country study conducted by McKinsey Health Research Institute found that over 70% of organizational leaders identified employee mental distress as a top concern and have made it their explicit goal to help people like that mechanic.
But here’s the problem: most of these well-intended efforts aren’t moving the needle. Meaning that despite organizations investing thousands, if not millions, of dollars on mental health awareness campaigns, wellness programs, and resources like EAP — there has been no measurable improvement in mental health outcomes.
Why? Companies are solving for the wrong problem — the individual. They say: “Hey, we’ve got resources that can help you to be more resilient.”
But what’s being ignored are the broken systems — like poor management — that are causing the distress in the first place. And the person who has the biggest influence on shaping that water is, of course, the manager.
Upshot: the best way to boost workers’ mental health is to give them good managers.
Leadership measurably shapes employee mental health (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)
69% of workers say their manager has more impact on their mental health than their therapist — and as much impact as their spouse (UKG Workforce Institute)
A toxic boss can increase a worker’s risk of a heart attack — today and ten years out (Karolinska Institute)
Retention largely comes down to the manager; 7 out of 10 U.S. workers said they would leave a job with a bad manager. (LinkedIn)
But there’s an added twist: specific styles of leadership make the difference — for better or for worse.
The 6 Leadership Styles That Shape A Team's Mental Health
According to a meta-analysis of 53 studies (totaling over 93,000 participants), conducted by researchers Diego Montano, Joyce Elena Schleu, and Joachim Huffmeier, there are leadership styles associated with positive mental health outcomes for workers — and there are leadership styles associated with negative mental health outcomes.
Here are the leadership styles associated with POSITIVE mental health outcomes:
Transformer: Inspiring and charismatic, the Transformer engages their team in expansive thinking. By focusing on the big picture, this leader naturally motivates people to believe in what’s possible.
People Person: The People Person knows how to build relationships. Kind, supportive, and always respectful, this leader is a touchstone for others through times of change and uncertainty.
Task Master: Performance-driven, the Task Master has a laser focus on meeting goals and tasks. Most importantly, they galvanize execution of these goals and tasks by leaning into intrinsic motivators, like recognition.
And, here are the leadership styles associated with NEGATIVE mental health outcomes:
Deal Maker: Similar to the Task Master, the Deal Maker is laser-focused on meeting goals and objectives. But here’s the key difference: they drive (instead of inspiring) execution of these goals and tasks by leaning into extrinsic motivators, i.e., “carrots & sticks.”
Absent Parent: The Absent Parent has a laissez-faire style that keeps everyone at arm’s length. This leader often avoids making decisions, is reticent to take action and is absent when they’re needed the most.
Destroyer: The Destroyer is a jerk. No other way to put it. They have no tolerance for mistakes. Quick to frustration and even aggression, this leader blames others, sometimes resorting to mockery and even abusive language.
We all know what it’s like to be managed by a boss who is the Absent Parent — or worst of all — the Destroyer. The question is: Why is this happening so often?
We’ve Applied a Wrong-Headed Approach Toward Management
“Becoming a manager is framed up as a reward, when in fact it is a responsibility."
— Cristina Man, Associate Principal, Gallup
In our LinkedIn live discussion, Cristina clarified that most organizations are misguided in how they build their cadre of managers.
Here is the all-too-common scenario, she explained. A high performer is "rewarded" for their good work by getting promoted to a management position. But then, suddenly, they no longer get to use the technical skills that got them noticed in the first place. Maybe they were a superstar accountant – really good with numbers. Or maybe they were a software engineer – really good at coding.
"You've excelled in your current role and are now being promoted to manager. Congratulations!"
Suddenly, they're expected to deliver on a whole new set of skills — managing people. And the very thing that got them there in the first place becomes secondary.
Meanwhile, they've most likely been shortchanged on resources and ill-equipped with too little training. In fact, Gallup’s 2025 State of the Global Workplace report revealed that more than HALF of managers receive ZERO training!
It's a recipe for disaster.
Managers aren’t acting as the Destroyer or the Absent Parent because they're bad people.
They just aren’t getting the training and the support that they need.
That's a systemic problem — which calls for a systemic response.
So, if you are that manager. Now what?
Or, better yet, if you’re responsible for learning & development in your organization, what should you be including in your leadership training for your managers?
Four Steps Forward
1. First, help your managers to begin noticing their leadership style. Just observe.
Ask them to consider: When I’m at my best, which leadership style do I embody? And, when I’m under stress, which one do I sometimes take on?
2. Next, help them to clarify the leadership style they’d like to move toward.
Ask them to consider: Which leadership style do I aspire to move toward?
3. Now, help them to cultivate this desired leadership style. Here’s one way: Give them an example — or ask them to identify one on their own.
Ask them to consider: Who’s a leader I’d like to emulate? Whose leadership style is one I’d like to move toward?
One of my favorite examples is Doug Conant, former CEO of Campbell’s Soup Company. When he took over in 2001, the company’s market share had just dropped in half, sales were declining, and the workforce was disengaged.
But within five years, Doug had turned the company around. Within nine, they were setting all-time performance records and racking up awards, including best place to work.
How did he do it? On Day 1, he committed to being — in his words — “tough-minded on standards and tender-hearted with people.” He did so by focusing on daily “touchpoints,” or his everyday interactions with people — in the hallway, in the cafeteria or in meetings. In every single one, he looked for ways to uplift people.
4. Finally, help managers to double down on their daily touchpoints, or everyday interactions.
This begins with first giving them examples of daily touchpoints.
Ask them to consider: What’s a recent touchpoint? How did I handle it? Did I lift people up - or did I inadvertently put them down? Which leadership style did I embody in that moment?
As Doug shared with me recently, “A leader needs to be anchored in who they are and how they authentically show up in the smallest of moments. Over time, those moments create the biggest impact.”
The smallest of moments. That's where leadership actually lives – and that’s where the greatest hope lies in making a difference in people’s mental wellbeing.