440 Mental Health in the Workplace with Dr. Andy Melton

The best leaders are the ones that can hold space for both—care personally and challenge directly. Work never happens in a vacuum. Field calls, customer pressure, travel, and deadlines compound the very real mental load carried by water professionals. In this conversation, Dr. Andy Melton, a professional counselor and executive coach at www.andymelton.com—shares clear, practical ways leaders and teams can recognize mental health warning signs, set the right boundaries, and respond with care without stepping outside their role. Care Personally, Challenge Directly—Inside Clear Boundaries Managers aren’t neutral parties, and that matters. Andy explains the built-in conflict of interest when a supervisor probes too deeply into an employee’s personal struggles. You still need to check in—but do it in role: use open-ended, performance-anchored questions (“What’s been challenging for you lately?”), document observations, and offer resources instead of diagnoses. He also highlights Kim Scott’s “Radical Candor” frame—care personally and challenge directly—as a durable leadership posture for tough conversations. Spotting Decline Early—Behavioral, Cognitive, Physical Before missed KPIs and callbacks spike, there are tells: sudden drops in productivity, withdrawal, irritability, rising absence/tardiness, markedly negative self-talk, and physical complaints (fatigue, headaches, stomach issues). Andy shares a simple “dashboard” self-check—sleep and eating patterns—plus trackable 1–10 scales for stress, energy, engagement, and mood stability to catch trends early. When It’s Serious—Safe Paths and Resources Anonymous surveys can surface urgent risks—including suicidality. Andy outlines responsible next steps: widen communication, invite follow-ups, and immediately involve a mental health professional or crisis resources. Know the number 988 and your local mobile crisis team information; publish those options prominently so help is never far away. Grounding Under Load—3 Techniques You Can Use Anywhere For anxiety (mind racing ahead) and depression (mind stuck in the past), uniting mind and body in the present increases bandwidth. Andy teaches three job-friendly tools: the four-second “box” breath, a five-senses “sensory scan,” and a head-to-toe “progressive muscle relaxation.” Each can be done discreetly at a desk, in a service truck, or before a customer meeting. Strong operations require strong people. Build a culture that normalizes check-ins, provides resources, and keeps performance expectations clear. That’s how teams protect each other and maintain reliability in the field. Listen to the full conversation above. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge! Timestamps 02:20 - Trace welcome Industrial Water Week is next week and why it's our "Super Bowl" 11:38 — Water You Know with James McDonald 13: 11 - Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals 15:14 - Introduction for Dr. Andy Melton 15:35 - Andy's background 19:06 - Why mental health is hard to discuss at work; stigma and judgment 21:40 - Cognitive/physical signs: negative self-talk, fatigue, headaches, stomach issues 23:33 — Why self-awareness is hard; “mirror” idea of counseling/coaching 24:21 — Self “dashboard”: sleep and eating as early indicators 26:22 — Employer question: caring without crossing the line 31:44 — Impact on teammates and operations; why the talk still must happen 32:06 — Culture: build trust so care is believed 36:12 — Psychological safety: education via outside counselors/coaches; offer EAPs 42:07 — 988 explained; local mobile crisis teams and how they respond 45:06 — Awareness first: listen to body; define “stress” simply 48:27 — Grounding overview: techniques to reunite mind and body Quotes Struggles in mental health still have stigma… but I do think there are ways to handle this sensitive subject in the workplace. It is really challenging as an employer to be a neutral sort of resource in someone’s life. Connect with Dr. Andy Melton Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Website: www.andymelton.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andymeltonphd Guest Resources Mentioned The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth by Amy C. Edmondson Crucial Conversations (Third Edition): Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Joseph Grenny (Author, Narrator), Kerry Patterson (Author), Ron McMillan (Author), Al Switzler (Author), Emily Gregory (Author, Narrator), McGraw Hill-Ascent Audio (Publisher) Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, Second Edition by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler Downloadable materials for workplace mental health presentations Radical Candor: Fully Revised & Updated Edition: Be a...