Quiet Cracking and Leading Change with Dr Michelle McQuaid

Michelle McQuaid is one of the most trusted voices in workplace wellbeing today. An award-winning researcher, LinkedIn Top Voice for Mental Health, and honorary fellow at Melbourne University’s Centre for Wellbeing Science, Michelle has authored nine bestselling books and hosted over 250 podcast interviews. In this episode, Michelle brings her signature blend of science, zest, and practicality to a conversation that every leader needs right now. 

From climbing Kilimanjaro to leading workplace research, Michelle shares insights that are impacting us all. We explore how leaders and teams can navigate the complex emotional landscape of today’s workplaces with more compassion, curiosity, and courage. 

In this episode, we cover: 

• What “quiet cracking” really means—and why it’s different from burnout 

• The hidden impact of gender norms on wellbeing 

• Five signs someone on your team may be quietly cracking (and what to do about it) 

• The five HEART practices for building psychological safety at work 

• How to create secure attachment—within yourself and your team 

• The neuroscience of “safe enough” and why it’s the real foundation for change 

Michelle’s clarity around the quiet ways leaders and team members are fraying—while still looking "fine" on the outside. The term quiet cracking gave language to a feeling many of us haven’t been able to name. But even more powerfully, Michelle doesn’t just diagnose the challenge—she equips us with practical, science-backed tools to lead through it. If we want thriving teams, we must get more comfortable with discomfort, more honest in our conversations, and more courageous in our compassion. As Michelle says, “None of us have it all figured out—and what a relief that is.” 

If this conversation sparked ideas, comforted your inner overachiever, or gave you practical tools to support your team, we’d love for you to share this episode with a leader or teammate who might be quietly cracking.