Sustaining wellbeing – strategies for women leaders

On 1 September, IHF members came together for an inspiring Women in Leadership SIG webinar, ‘Sustaining wellbeing – strategies for women leaders’. 

The session brought together personal reflections and practical strategies to explore how women leaders can sustain their wellbeing, recognize the early signs of burnout, and create workplace cultures where people feel connected, supported and able to thrive. 

The importance of connection and belonging 

Dr Dominique Lee, a radiation oncologist at Icon Australia, shared her powerful story of recovery and resilience following adversity, reflecting on the experiences that have shaped her career and leadership journey. 

Her story highlighted the very human need to feel supported and connected at work. Dominique spoke about the important role leaders can play in creating cultures of connection, warmth and belonging, helping to reduce loneliness across the healthcare workforce. 

For leaders working in complex and demanding healthcare environments, fostering these connections is particularly important. A sense of belonging can strengthen relationships, support wellbeing and contribute to healthier workplace cultures. 

Recognizing the signs of burnout 

Leadership coach Shivani Gupta then explored practical strategies for recognizing the warning signs of burnout, both in ourselves and in those we work with.  

A key message from the session was that burnout rarely happens overnight. More often, it develops gradually, through a series of compromises, pushing through fatigue, putting our own needs aside, taking on too much or not setting clear boundaries. 

Recognizing these signals early provides an opportunity to pause, reflect and make changes before reaching crisis point. For leaders, this also means creating an environment where wellbeing can be discussed openly and where people feel able to ask for support. 

Capacity may change – capability remains 

Another important message for women leaders was the distinction between capacity and capability. 

Significant life events and changing circumstances can affect what a leader is able to carry at a particular point in time. However, this does not diminish their capability, experience or potential to contribute. 

Recognizing that capacity can fluctuate is important for both individuals and organizations. Supportive leadership means allowing people the space to navigate changing circumstances while continuing to recognize and value the expertise and contribution they bring. 

Creating workplaces that support wellbeing 

The discussion reinforced why supportive workplace cultures are so important. Creating environments where people can speak openly, ask for support, set appropriate boundaries and navigate changing circumstances is not simply a wellbeing or equity initiative. It is an important part of sustaining effective leadership and building healthy, inclusive and resilient healthcare organizations. 

You can catch up on the recording of this session here.