Ebrima Sisay Advocates for Workplace Mental Health at YGN Summit

Sisay believes that fostering human connections is essential, noting an increase in loneliness and isolation in today's society. "I’m a big believer in human to human connection because there’s so much loneliness and isolation happening," he said.

The YGN Summit is set to take place on October 13 at The Bauer in Kansas City’s Crossroads Arts District, followed by a full-day leadership event on October 14 at the Kansas City Convention Center.

"I feel like we’re in a time where friction is so needed in our life because we don’t know what’s real anymore online with AI," Sisay, who also heads Heliona, said. His organization helps measure and manage stress within leadership, and he aims to create a space for authentic interaction.

The summit is designed to facilitate discussions on workplace culture, boundaries, and well-being. "At the root of it all is mental health because we’re all humans," Sisay pointed out, recognizing how a challenging day at work can impact personal life outside the office.

Panelists for the summit include leaders from organizations like Creative Planning, Lockton, and Molzer Development, as well as many former podcast guests. Sisay aims to include diverse perspectives, stating, "I want to have the executive perspective, the HR perspective, the employee perspective, all different perspectives," acknowledging that employee voices are often overlooked at such events.

The event will explore the "4C Framework" developed by Sisay, centered on communication, clarity, capacity, and crisis management. "The goal of the 4C is to make sure that every leader within the company is leading toward connection or conflict; you decide where you want to lead,” he explained.

The summit will also address the role of AI in leadership dynamics, reflecting on insights gathered from his podcast interviews.

The event’s interactive installation, created by Kasim Hardaway, will provide attendees with letters of affirmation during breakfast.

Sisay’s commitment to mental health advocacy has evolved over the past decade. Initially focused on youth and families, his work transitioned to corporate leaders and employees as he recognized the critical need for mental health discussions in workplaces.

Reflecting on his personal journey, Sisay recounted his struggles with poor workplace culture that led to the failure of his own company. "I didn’t understand why people needed certain things in the workplace," he recalled. His experiences prompted him to seek therapy, leading to the creation of his podcast, which serves as a platform for open discussions about leadership challenges and mental health.

Sisay expressed the necessity of fostering trust between employees and leaders. "A lot of employees are not confident in their leaders," he noted. "I personally believe that is a huge failure in leadership, and that was the reason why I started this whole thing because I failed as a leader myself."