Episode 3. On today's show, Former Big 4 accountant Andy Salkeld shares his story of stress, depression, attempted suicide and subsequent recovery with podcast show host Rob Brown.
Andy Salkeld is a former accountant (Big 4), corporate financier and business intelligence specialist who seemed to have it all. But Andy lives with depression and has been suicidal. Now an investor co-owner of a small business, he speaks and writes openly about mental health and depression in professional life. Key takeaways from this interview include:
➜ how accountants and CPAS often introduce themselves as what they do, not who they are, and why this is bad
➜ how the perceived stigma of mental health affects professionals like accountants
➜ the competitive 'Darwinian' nature of professions that involve the mind - the survival of the fittest
➜ the huge pressures accountants are under in building their career, and why any sign of weakness can be detrimental
➜ how good or not accountants are at handling change, disruption and pressure
➜ much of a professional's self worth, identity and acceptance is wrapped up in what they can do, not who they are
➜ how accountancy is like football in being a performance business with massive pressure to get results
➜ how accounting firm leaders and cultures are rarely equipped to deal with admissions of mental health and stress
➜ why in a data driven industry, it's hard to make decisions about complex emotions inherent in mental health
➜ how a greater acceptance of mental health and liberation of views has led to a better understanding of the impacts
➜ how accounting leaders do genuinely care but don't always know how to help staff with mental health
➜ the importance of sharing your struggles and vulnerabilities in work situations, especially if you're in a leadership role
➜ why nobody has all the answers to mental wellbeing, especially in times of great disruption and uncertainty
➜ an example of the chain of events that might lead someone to take their own life
➜ the song lyric that turned a suicidal depressive's life around to now helping other professionals deal with mental health
➜ the role of therapists and counsellors in helping you articulate complex emotions and situation
When not working, Andy loves playing board games, listening to ska and pop-punk music and cooking. He lives with his cat Pika – named after a Pokémon – in Leeds, UK. Recently he has been teaching himself music from no prior knowledge using only a GameBoy. You can reach him here...
Website https://andysalkeld.com/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/andysalkeld/
NOTE TO LISTENERS:
The Accounting Influencers Podcast is a daily show with four segments coming out every Monday Martin which are repeated on the other 4 weekdays as standalone episodes, plus a bitesize highlights digest or bonus episode on Saturdays . On Sundays, listeners get a 2 min trailer for the coming week's episodes.
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