From Grief to Advocacy: Don Ryan on Suicide, Empathy, and Healing at Work

Episode notes

Send us Fan Mail Episode Description: ️ Trigger Warning: Suicide, grief, and trauma. In this deeply human episode of The Elephant in the Org , we confront one of the hardest workplace conversations: suicide, loss, and mental health at work. Our guest, Don Ryan — author of The Secret Struggle: Surviving the Suicide of a Loved One and veteran social worker — brings both professional expertise and personal experience, having lost three close family members to suicide. Together with Marion, Danny, and Cacha, Don explores: Why grief can’t be treated as a “policy issue” with one-size-fits-all leave. Equity vs. equality in crisis support — and why flexibility matters more than fairness. How peers often notice warning signs first, and what leaders can do about it. The role of postvention: planning before tragedy strikes. The long-term impact of grief on trust, performance, and psychological safety. Top Takeaways: Grief doesn’t end after a week of leave — it changes people for the long term. Psychological safety depends on trust built before a crisis hits. Empathy and equity are essential leadership skills, not “nice to haves.” Workplaces need a toolbox of supports, not blanket policies.