On Culture: Hard Truths, Tethered Hope

Myste Wylde
Sep 10
7 min read

Dear Culturati Insider,

Today I’ll share what society prefers we keep quiet. I struggle with depression.

We're not supposed to say it out loud, I know. For one thing, how uncomfortable for others. For another, look at all there is for which to be grateful. And I am. Grateful that is. Also, still depressed.

It's a genetic gift. (MTHFR gene mutations on both sides. M*therf*ckers, ha.) Resulting dysregulation of the GBA. Neuroinflammation from suspected endometriosis. Plus, a lone wolf personality of deep thinking-introspection-questioning everything and no subscription to organized religion. (And, of course, the trauma of living which I'll refrain from over-oversharing.)

It's been a companion since childhood. What really got me though was the endo. Chronic, sometimes debilitating pain. It eroded my mental health faster than patience in a meeting that could've been an email. Not many people know this, but I actually left Austin last year because of it. I packed up my house, put everything in storage, and enrolled in an outpatient program while leaning on support from my family.

I bring this up because yesterday was World Suicide Prevention Day and this is the National Week/September is the National Month. And yes, I've thought about it. If you've never lived with depression I can imagine that's horrifying. And it is, without a doubt, a horrible and tragic experience to lose someone you love in this way. I know many people who have.

The truth is, I’m not alone in this scenario. Yet paradoxically, loneliness is one of leadership’s hidden costs. Executives often carry problems they can’t share, without coaching or organizational support to work through them. That isolation slows decisions and leaves complex issues unresolved. But structured approaches like the SOLVE model—state the problem, open the box, lay out solutions, venture forth, and elevate learning—can help us shift from silent carrying to deliberate action.

Beyond the C-suite, we’re living through a generational inversion. Young people, once the happiest cohort, are now the least happy worldwide. Since 2020, 18- to 34-year-olds report lower wellbeing than any other age group across continents. In the U.S., the decline is especially stark, with rising suicides, anxiety, and loneliness compounded by an eight-year life expectancy gap between Americans with and without college degrees (an absolutely crazy stat).

Inside organizations, this crisis shows up in sharp relief. Nearly two-thirds of suicides occur among working-age adults, yet access to care lags dangerously behind. Wait times average 67 days for psychiatry, and 43 for telehealth, while 122 million Americans live in provider shortage areas. Meanwhile, 77% of employees admit they’ve worked through a personal crisis instead of taking leave, often inside cultures that quietly punish vulnerability. Data shows that employees in toxic workplaces are 3 x's more likely to report mental health harm.

But something else is happening, too. More employees are claiming space for their well-being. Since 2019, mental health leaves have climbed 300%—not a temporary spike, a new baseline. Encouragingly, employees who access behavioral health resources return six days faster on average, a tangible ROI that reminds us prevention can be both moral and strategic. Just as importantly (even amid stress and disengagement), workers are still leaning on one another. They listen, mentor, share skills, and ease workloads. When managers support these bonds, stress drops 37% and disconnect nearly halves.

Researchers point to hope, defined as agency plus pathways, as the most reliable predictor of future health, productivity, and relationships. Hope is built in mentorship, in shared problem-solving, and in leaders who refuse to look away from hard truths. And what I’ve learned is that hope is rarely solitary. It’s built in community through people who remind you of your own agency, who sit with you in the questions, and who widen the pathways when yours narrow. Leaders are not exempt from needing this, nor are they excused from providing it.

At Culturati, we believe cultures are strongest when they don’t just talk about mental health but make it livable: in policies that guarantee access, in managers trained to listen and respond, in peer-to-peer bonds that buffer strain, and in leaders who acknowledge their own humanity out loud. We cannot eliminate conflict, change, or suffering. That's life. But we can create the conditions for people to hold on to hope, to find meaning, and to stay. Let this National Suicide Prevention Month be a reminder of what’s at stake—especially today, September 11, as we also honor the lives lost in 2001.

To honesty & vulnerability,

Myste Wylde, COO

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, please call or text 988 in the U.S. to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or seek out local crisis resources where you are. I'm also far from a mental health provider, and certainly no substitute, but I am truly and sincerely always willing to talk to you, too

When Leadership Gets Lonely: A 5-Step Model For Tackling Unseen Problems

London School of Economics

Summary: Loneliness is one of leadership’s hidden costs, leaving executives carrying problems they cannot share and often without the coaching or organizational support to work through them. The result is isolation that slows decision-making and leaves complex issues unresolved. To break this cycle, the SOLVE model offers a structured approach: State the problem clearly, Open the box by gathering data and perspectives, Lay out a solution that addresses root causes, Venture forth by testing and adapting, and Elevate learning by sharing insights with others. Leaders who apply this framework shift from solo stressing to deliberate action, turning loneliness into clarity and execution.

READ ARTICLE IN FULL

Society Needs Hope

Aeon

By Carol Graham

Summary: Young people are now the least happy cohort worldwide, reversing the long-standing U-shaped curve of wellbeing where midlife was once the low point. Since 2020, surveys show 18- to 34-year-olds report lower happiness than any other age group across North America, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Australia. In the US, the crisis is severe: suicides, anxiety, and loneliness are climbing, and Americans without college degrees live eight years fewer on average than those with degrees. These patterns are linked to social media’s rise after 2012, the pandemic’s disruption of social lives, extreme political polarization, climate uncertainty, and the erosion of civic institutions. Research consistently finds that hope—defined as agency plus pathways—is more predictive than current wellbeing of health, productivity, education, and stable relationships, making mentorship and future pathways a critical lever for reversing this decline.

READ ARTICLE IN FULL

Leaders Can Support Suicide Prevention at Work. Here's How.

Modern Health

Summary: Suicide is now one of the most pressing workforce health issues, with nearly 66% of deaths occurring among adults aged 25–64. Yet access to care remains dangerously slow: in the U.S., wait times average 67 days for in-person psychiatry and 43 days for telehealth, while more than 122 million Americans live in areas with mental-health provider shortages. At the same time, 77% of employees report working through a crisis rather than taking leave, and those in toxic cultures are 3 x's more likely to report mental health harm. Prevention at work cannot stop at crisis lines—it requires vendor partnerships that guarantee timely access, policies that normalize mental health conversations, and managers trained to recognize, respond, and refer. With suicide responsible for 1 in 100 deaths globally and 720,000 lives lost annually, organizations have both the proximity and responsibility to act.

READ ARTICLE IN FULL

The Share of Workers Taking Mental Health Leave is up 300% from Pre-Pandemic Levels

CNBC

By Jennifer Liu

Summary: The share of workers taking mental health leave has climbed 300% since 2019, far outpacing the 30% rise in overall leaves, according to ComPsych’s review of 6 million employees. The spike reflects multiple pressures—global unrest, political division, economic volatility—and the post-pandemic shift that reduced stigma and made benefits more visible. In 2023, mental health leaves jumped another 33% before leveling off in 2024, suggesting a new baseline. Importantly, employees who accessed behavioral health benefits during leave returned to work six days faster on average, underscoring the ROI of preventive care and well-being programs. For employers, the message is straightforward: invest in resources, train managers to spot strain early, and design cultures that keep issues from escalating into extended absences.

READ ARTICLE IN FULL

How to Build Workplace Bonds—and Why It’s So Important that You Do

Fast Company

By Brad Smith

Summary: Even in a climate of high stress and disengagement, employees continue to lean on each other in ways that quietly sustain workplace resilience. MeQuilibrium’s survey of 5,477 workers found that 71% listen to colleagues’ problems, 62% share skills, 60% mentor, and 53% step in to ease workloads, despite 55% reporting disconnect from their organizations and 42% facing high uncertainty stress. These peer-to-peer bonds act as a buffer against mental health strain, and when managers actively support well-being, they amplify the effect—lowering stress by 37% and cutting disconnect nearly in half. The data underscores that connection itself is a protective factor, and leaders who nurture it strengthen both culture and mental health.

READ ARTICLE IN FULL

In many of the world’s most demanding applications, success with AI depends on bringing intelligence to the edge—where safety, speed, and independence from the cloud are essential. For NXP, this is more than a technical challenge; it’s a profound transformation. The company must keep pace with rapid AI advancements, expand beyond its hardware roots, and navigate leadership transition—all while addressing cultural barriers that stand in the way of progress. In this session, NXP’s Chief People Officer, Chris Jensen, and VP of Global Talent & Organization Development, Dana Larsen, share how the company is leveraging insights and data to focus its cultural evolution. Attendees will gain a candid look at how a global technology leader is preparing its people and culture to compete in the AI era.