Leading When It’s Hard – Mental Health and Leadership

Written by Sarah Roberts, Global Strategy and Communications Leader

Sarah is one of two managing partners at Vane Percy & Roberts with 25 years of experience in global strategy and communications. Known for her clear thinking, sharp wit, and approachable style, she blends expertise in media, public affairs, and strategy to deliver smart, effective solutions that make a real difference.

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How you stay strong when you don’t feel it. This is the first in a short series on leadership and mental health, something I’ve carried quietly for a long time, and feel ready to say out loud. It’s personal. It’s professional. And it’s urgent. Because too many leaders are struggling in silence, performing strength while feeling anything but. We don’t talk about that enough. I think we should.

There are days you show up because it’s expected. Because your team needs you. Because there’s a client presentation, a board update, and a public-facing moment. You smile. You lead. You deliver.

And underneath, you feel frayed. Flat. Tired in a way sleep can’t fix.

Leadership doesn’t pause when your mental health wobbles. The calendar doesn’t clear itself when your confidence dips. So the question becomes: how do you keep going when you don’t feel strong?

Not in a performative way. Not pretending. But showing up in a way that’s real and sustainable.

Let’s be honest: There’s a performance to leadership

Not a fake one, but a deliberate one. You bring energy to the room. You hold space for others. You project steadiness, clarity, and presence often when you don’t fully feel any of those things.

And that’s part of the job.

But there’s a quiet line between holding it together and wearing yourself out trying to appear unshakeable. The world doesn’t need flawless leaders. It needs the present ones. Human ones.

Strength isn’t the absence of struggle, it’s the ability to move through it

Over the years, I’ve had seasons where the external pressure was high and my internal reserves were low. Times when I led teams through change while feeling completely unanchored myself. Times when I delivered clarity while privately battling doubt.

And what I’ve learned is this: strength isn’t about feeling invincible. It’s about staying in the work, without abandoning yourself.

So what helps?

Here are a few practices that have kept me steady in unsteady seasons:

1. Anchor in purpose, not performance. Focus on what still matters, not on how you look.

2. Lower the performance pressure. Model realistic energy, not relentless optimism.

3. Outsource confidence to process. When self-belief is low, rely on preparation, logic, and frameworks.

4. Have someone you can be messy with. A mentor, therapist, or peer who lets you take the armour off.

5. Give yourself micro-recoveries. 10 minutes of quiet between meetings. A walk. A boundary. Recovery can be small and still powerful.

This isn’t weakness, it’s wisdom

You can still lead. You can still be excellent. But you don’t have to do it from a place of depletion.

Strong leaders don’t always feel strong. But they stay honest.

With themselves. With their limits. With what they need to keep showing up.

That’s not a weakness. That’s leadership.

Part of a short series on leadership and mental health. If it resonates, follow along for more.

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Read more from Sarah Roberts

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Sarah Roberts, Global Strategy and Communications Leader

Sarah is one of two managing partners at Vane Percy & Roberts, with 25+ years in global comms, strategy, public affairs, and stakeholder relations. Known for her clear thinking, sharp wit, and approachable style, she delivers tailored solutions that drive impactful change. Her mission: to lead with authenticity, foster collaboration, and ensure every team member feels heard and valued. Recognised for her bold, inventive approach, Sarah is a gifted networker and convenor of creative talent, always ready to make strategic choices that drive success.