In the spring, former Senior Partner Lenny Mendonca (SFO, DCO 83-14) abruptly stepped down from his role as Chief Economic and Business Advisor to California Governor Gavin Newsom, where he was working around the clock on the state’s coronavirus response.
“The press release stated I was leaving ‘to focus on family and personal business,’” he says. “In corporate speak, this usually means someone got fired.”
But that was not what had happened. A few months later, Lenny published an article about the reason he had left the position: he had faced a period of severe depression and anxiety. “It felt like a 350-pound lineman had slammed me to the ground and hit me hard against the head,” he says.
Friends and colleagues counseled him not to go public with his story. But he says that while he knew their advice was well-meaning, it made him all the more determined to go share his experience. “Far too often, people suffer these illnesses with shame and without support,” he explains. “Leaders must ensure people can find vital care and acceptance for mental health challenges without punitive professional or personal impact. It should be no different than any other health issue."
Lenny spoke with Liz Hilton Segel, Managing Partner of North America, and Ellis Griffith, EEMA People Lead, in a livestream for Firm colleagues. In the excerpted video below (25 minutes), he talks about his mental health challenges, his road to recovery, and the importance of self-care.
About Lenny: During his 31-year career at the Firm, Lenny helped build the Firm’s U.S. Public Sector practice, chaired the McKinsey Global Institute and was a member of the Shareholders Council. He most recently served as California Governor Gavin Newsom's Chief Economic and Business Advisor.
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Grace Chiang, a London-based Firm member on education leave, wrote an op-ed for the New York Times, “Healing the Whole Family,” about her mental health journey.