A Leader's Guide to Identifying Mindset Shifts and Supporting Team Members

As a leader, one of your most important responsibilities is to ensure the well-being of your team.

A key element is understanding your team members’ mindsets—how they approach challenges, handle stress, and engage with their work. Mindset shifts are often the first indicators that something may be wrong. When a previously engaged and positive individual starts to withdraw or disengage, this could signal deeper struggles such as mental health issues or changes in brain chemistry. Recognizing and addressing these shifts early on is crucial.

I know this from personal experience. Years ago, during my employment, my mindset began to shift drastically. As someone with training in mental health, I could see the changes in myself—I was withdrawing from my team, avoiding challenges, and isolating myself. Yet, no one around me noticed, and nothing was said. I spiralled into a mental health crisis, and ultimately, I had to take a mental health leave that could have been entirely preventable had someone intervened earlier. This personal experience underscores the importance of training leaders to spot these early signs and offer support.

This guide will help you, as a leader, recognize these shifts, understand their internal causes, and provide strategies to support your team members before they reach a breaking point.

Recognizing Mindset Shifts in Team Members

Changes in mindset are not always easy to detect, but as a leader, you are in a unique position to observe behaviour patterns.

Paying attention to how your team members engage, communicate, and respond to challenges can offer insights into their mental well-being.

Signs of a Potential Mindset Shift:

• Reduced Engagement: One of the first changes I experienced was a reduction in my engagement with the team. I began intentionally withdrawing from discussions and group projects that I had previously been eager to participate in. Despite this drastic change in my behaviour, no one questioned my sudden shift in enthusiasm.
• Turning Off the Camera: During virtual meetings, I began turning off my camera more frequently. This might seem like a minor detail, but for me, it symbolized emotional withdrawal. I wanted to hide my exhaustion and emotional fatigue. Again, this change went unnoticed by my colleagues and leaders.
• Avoidance of Challenges: I started avoiding difficult tasks or opportunities for leadership that I used to embrace. The fear of failure and anxiety about being judged held me back. If leaders notice that a previously motivated individual is no longer stepping up for challenges, this could be a sign of a deeper issue.
• Increased Isolation: Over time, I intentionally isolated myself from team activities. I stopped participating in informal discussions, missed opportunities to connect with colleagues, and withdrew from both social and professional interactions.
• Declining Performance: While this wasn’t immediately apparent, my overall performance declined. What I once completed easily and efficiently became overwhelming, yet no one seemed to notice the pattern.

These signs were clear indicators that my mindset was shifting, and my mental health was deteriorating. However, without training or awareness, my colleagues and leader didn’t pick up on these changes. Had someone recognized these behaviours early on, my downward spiral could have been addressed before it led to a crisis.

Understanding the Internal Causes of Mindset Shifts

Once a mindset shift has been identified, it’s essential to understand the internal causes behind it.

These shifts are often driven by mental health challenges or changes in brain chemistry, and leaders need to be aware of how these internal factors affect behaviour.

Mental Health Challenges:

• Depression: In my case, depression was a major factor behind my mindset shift. Depression often brings about feelings of hopelessness, emotional fatigue, and isolation. These symptoms may lead to an individual withdrawing from their work and team, as I did.
• Anxiety: Anxiety also played a role in my experience. Over time, I became more cautious, avoiding any situation where I might be judged or criticized. This fear led me to step back from responsibilities that once excited me, opting instead to stay in the background.
• Burnout: Prolonged stress, combined with the demands of my role, ultimately led to burnout. Burnout causes emotional exhaustion, a sense of detachment, and reduced productivity, which were all signs I exhibited as my mental health declined.

Brain Chemistry’s Role:

Shifts in brain chemistry can further compound these mental health challenges.

• Low Serotonin: Low levels of serotonin can cause mood imbalances and emotional distress, leading to negativity and disengagement, which I experienced as my depression deepened.
• Dopamine Deficiency: Motivation is tied closely to dopamine levels. When dopamine is low, people feel less rewarded by activities that once brought them joy. My loss of motivation at work was a reflection of this internal imbalance.
• Elevated Cortisol: Chronic stress leads to elevated levels of cortisol, which impairs decision-making and emotional regulation. I was constantly in a state of stress, which made it even harder to break free from the downward spiral.

Understanding these internal causes can help leaders recognize that mindset shifts aren’t just a matter of “bad attitude” or lack of effort, but often the result of deeper, unseen struggles.

How Leaders Can Support Team Members Through Mindset Shifts

As a leader, once you’ve noticed a mindset shift, your next step is offering compassionate support.

Intervening early can prevent a team member from spiralling into a deeper mental health crisis, as happened in my case.

1. Approach the Conversation with Care:

One thing that could have made a significant difference for me was if my leader or a colleague had initiated a caring conversation early on. A simple “I’ve noticed you’ve been a bit quieter lately—how are you doing?” might have opened the door for me to share what I was going through.

• Ask open-ended questions to create space for dialogue: “I’ve noticed you’ve been turning off your camera a lot in meetings—how are you feeling about everything?”
• Avoid assumptions or criticism: Focus on what you’ve observed, and offer support without judgment.

2. Offer Professional Resources:

Once a conversation is started, leaders should direct team members to professional resources. In my situation, had someone suggested counseling or connected me with available mental health resources, it could have prevented me from reaching a breaking point.

• Mention Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) if your organization offers them, and encourage your team member to use these resources.
• Offer flexibility in their schedule if they need time to seek professional help or take care of their mental health.

3. Encourage Small, Positive Steps:

Often, small changes can make a big difference in preventing a downward spiral. Leaders should encourage team members to focus on small, manageable actions to reduce stress and improve well-being.

• Encourage regular breaks, time away from work, and small steps to reconnect with the team.
• Suggest lightening their workload temporarily or shifting to less intense projects if burnout seems to be a concern.

4. Follow Up Regularly:

My experience could have been much different if someone had followed up after that first check-in. Mental health struggles don’t resolve overnight, and consistent support from leadership can make a world of difference.

• Continue to check in, offering support and flexibility over time. Ask questions like, “How are you feeling this week? Is there anything else I can help with?”

By taking these steps, leaders can intervene before a mindset shift becomes a full-blown crisis.

The Importance of Early Intervention

One of the most important lessons I learned from my experience is that early intervention could have prevented my downward spiral.

Because no one noticed or addressed the changes in my behaviour, I ended up taking a mental health leave that could have been avoided.

Why Early Intervention Matters:

• Prevents Crisis: In my case, I reached a point where a mental health leave was the only option. Had someone recognized my struggles earlier, I might have received support before things became unmanageable.
• Fosters Trust: Employees who feel their leaders are attentive and supportive will be more likely to trust them and the organization. In my situation, I felt disconnected because no one reached out.
• Reduces Burnout and Turnover: Addressing mindset shifts early can prevent burnout and reduce the likelihood of valuable employees leaving due to mental health issues.

My mental health leave was preventable, and it highlighted how crucial it is for leaders to recognize the signs early on and take action. If you can spot these changes in your team and offer timely support, you may be able to help them avoid the same outcome.

As a leader, it’s your responsibility to create an environment where mindset shifts are noticed and addressed before they become larger issues.

My experience of spiralling into a mental health crisis without anyone noticing shows just how easy it is to overlook these signs. By recognizing behavioural changes, understanding the internal causes, and offering early intervention, you can support your team members before their mental health deteriorates further.

Early intervention, compassion, and ongoing support are vital to preventing deeper crises and ensuring that your team members feel valued and cared for. By prioritizing mental health in your leadership approach, you can build a resilient, positive team that thrives.

Have you experienced stress or burnout and found ways to thrive despite it?

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