Strong Leadership is Spotting What Men Keep to Themselves.
From the Desk of Katriina Tahka, Founder & CEO
Men often carry more than they show. They push through, stay quiet and keep going even when the pressure is building. This month we are bringing those quiet loads into the open and focusing on men’s mental wellbeing in a real, practical way. Too often HR is seen as the team that steps in when something goes wrong. At A-HA we know it starts much earlier: with everyday conversations, genuine care and leaders who pay attention. When wellbeing becomes part of how a team works, people feel safer, speak up sooner and perform better. This edition is about making those moments normal, not uncomfortable.
Feature Topic: Real Men, Real Talk
Conversations about men’s mental health are often avoided, minimised or hidden behind humour. Yet many men are carrying unspoken pressures, stress and expectations. When leaders make space for honest conversations, and when men feel safe to open up without judgement, workplaces become stronger and more respectful. This month we focus on human leadership, and the role emotional awareness plays in shaping safer, more connected teams. It is about shifting the narrative from toughness to self-awareness and from silence to real support.
A-HA Human Conversations Podcast: A Conversation with Jude-Martin Etuka
This month we are launching a conversation between Katriina and leadership coach Jude-Martin Etuka. We’re delighted to welcome Jude-Martin as one of our newest members into the A-Ha’s Coaching Collective. It is an honest discussion about men’s mental health, emotional intelligence and the inner work of leadership.
Jude-Martin shares his personal journey through trauma, self-reconnection and monastic practice, showing how emotional awareness and vulnerability contribute to healthier relationships and stronger leadership. Together, they explore why respect, humanity and the ability to pause matter in everyday life and in workplaces everywhere.
“Leadership starts first and foremost with learning to lead yourself.”
–Jude-Martin Etuka
“There is a mythology that being vulnerable makes you ineffective. What you have shared shows that the more open and aware you are, the more focused you can be on the work in front of you.”-Katriina Tahka
Feature Article – The Transformation of Men’s Mental Health
By Jude-Martin Etuka
In this reflective and deeply human piece, Jude-Martin shares how childhood trauma, overthinking and seven years of monastic silence shaped his understanding of mental health. He explores how noticing, presence and emotional awareness help men navigate stress and the long-standing myths that keep them silent. His story reframes men’s mental health as whole-person wellbeing: mental, emotional, physical and spiritual. It shows why self-awareness and self-regulation are not soft skills, but the foundation of strong leadership.
Organisational Training, Workshops and Coaching
Respect and Mental Fitness for Healthier Teams
A practical half-day workshop for teams who want to strengthen communication, trust and wellbeing. Leaders explore how respect drives psychological safety, how to build genuine connection and how to create environments where people feel comfortable speaking up early.
Includes:
- Team Respect workbook
- 30-day leadership reflection email series
- Optional follow-up coaching for teams wanting deeper support
Quick Reads: Articles You’ll Want to Share
- The Transformation of Men’s Mental Health
By Jude-Martin Etuka - Breaking the Stigma: Talking Mental Health at Work
- How Respectful Cultures Improve Performance and Safety
What Have A-HA Been Up To?
Bringing Our Specialist Collective Together
We recently hosted drinks with our A-HA Specialist Collective. It was a great chance to reconnect, share insights and celebrate the brilliant thought leaders, coaches and consultants who help us deliver human-friendly workplaces across Australia.
Kat joins the Cuppa Collective as a Thought Leader
This month we joined the Cuppa Collective, https://cuppa.pickmybrain.world/profiles/katriina-tahka a thought leadership network lead by Luke Cook. Cuppa is also a community and a movement, designed to spark change through conversations. Being part of this Collective allows us to collaborate with other purpose-led leaders and share the A-HA perspective in more spaces that value wellbeing and respectful culture. We will also be holding events in our new Co-Lab space in Barangaroo! Watch this space, big things are coming in 2026.
Coaching, Culture Work and Setting Up 2026
We have spent the month working closely with leaders through coaching, guidance and honest conversations about culture and people. There is a growing appetite for deeper, more human leadership, and we are supporting organisations that want to strengthen respect, capability and connection in their teams. It has been a big month of impactful work, and we are already helping many clients set themselves up well for 2026.
Next Steps
At A-HA, we create human-friendly workplaces where people and businesses thrive.