Summary
Would you tell your boss you had depression? In The Bottom Line this week, Evan Davis hears from three successful business people who talk openly about what it's like to experience severe mental illness whilst running their companies. They'll explain the risks and rewards of going public about mental ill health problems: the reaction from investors and the impact on staff. And we'll hear why being open about mental illness can lead to a happier, healthier workplace.
Guests:
Lord Stevenson of Coddenham, entrepreneur and former Chairman of HBOS and Pearson; Andrea Woodside, Founder, Minding Work Limited; and Charlie Mowat, Managing Director, The Clean Space
Producer: Sally Abrahams.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Thank you for downloading this programme. In this edition of the bottom line, Evan Davis and guests talk openly about having depression whilst running a business. |
| 0:10.0 | Hello and welcome to the programme. There aren't many business leaders who speak openly about depression, anxiety or stress, but that is beginning to change and as more come forward to talk about their own |
| 0:20.9 | experiences of these things, we are seeing a conversation open up about the mental health of those |
| 0:26.2 | in positions of corporate leadership. And we're going to open up that conversation here today |
| 0:30.9 | with three people in business who've suffered from dark episodes, all have gone public to |
| 0:35.7 | encourage others to speak up sooner and get help earlier. |
| 0:39.2 | And let's start by taking a few minutes to meet each of them. And first of all is Dennis |
| 0:43.8 | Stevenson, Lord Stevenson of Coddenham, entrepreneur, businessman, former chairman of H-Boss and |
| 0:50.3 | Pearson, and diagnosed with clinical depression around 20 years ago. |
| 0:55.1 | Tell us the story of what happened and when you realised, hang on a minute, I'm depressed. |
| 0:59.9 | It was completely all field and unexpected. |
| 1:02.7 | We go as a family to our cottage in Suffolk. |
| 1:04.7 | Most of August, I was driving down the sun was out. It was wonderful. |
| 1:08.2 | Next morning I woke up with literally a pain in my tummy. |
| 1:11.8 | And I think it turned into what isn't known to be anxiety. In about week, 10 days, it turned |
| 1:17.0 | into something which was diagnosed as clinical depression. Now, these terms, the diagnosis |
| 1:22.4 | are not clear and accepted as not being clear, But there was no apparent reason for it. |
| 1:25.2 | Everything in my life was lovely. And thus it's been ever since, once every so often. Roughly how often would you say you get an episode? I'm lucky. Although it's the worst thing I've ever had, much worse than breaking my leg in 10 places, which I did once. Much, much worse. I only suffer about once every five or six years. I'm due for one now, so you better watch it. |
| 1:25.5 | Right. |
| 1:44.5 | Keep fingers cross. And just tell us what the symptom is. I mean, |
| 1:50.6 | is it that you can't speak, can't think? How would you describe it? No, it would take more than clinical |
| 1:54.5 | depression to stop me speaking. One characteristic is that if you're unhappy and miserable, as we all frequently are, and I certainly |
... |
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