Second Edition: ISBN: 979-8391691587

First Edition: ISBN: 979-8364495419

When you have a chronic medical condition,

you may spend a lot of time trying to get others

to not just know but also understand your condition. You describe the mechanics, frequently pausing to explain the medical terminology that has become your second language. You describe in great detail the physical discomfort that makes even the most basic activities, such as showering or getting dressed, burdensome. You describe how the condition affects your mental health, causing depression, anxiety, brain fog, and other issues that interfere with your well-being and productivity. If you are fortunate, your friends and family will respond with empathy and support. If you are employed, you are more likely to find you are entering into a don’t ask, don’t tell environment with human resources, leadership, and colleagues.

Written for employees, human resources, and workplace leaders, A Leadership Guide to Normalizing the Discussion of Invisible Illness in the Workplace, is a useful reference guide defining invisible disability and offering the first steps to open discussions to bring awareness, to educate, to seek assistance, and most importantly, to not feel as though employees are hiding or being dishonest.

Available on Amazon

Testimonials

"You don't know what you don't know... the perfect description of this manual. This isn't just a booklet of information, but a toolkit with practical steps a leader can take to better engage with employees (or in my case, students!)." - Stefanie DeLeo Christian, Educator

"It's great. A fast read yet educational, compelling, and one every HR dept and school needs to own." - VP of Personnel

"I learned so much! This has never been discussed in my department, and now I am wondering what we have missed. I am meeting with my team tomorrow to have them read it, and then our management team. This is a must for human resources leaders." - Amazon Customer

"A Leadership Guide to Normalizing the Discussion of Invisible Illness in the Workplace is a thought-provoking book that addresses health conditions that are not immediately visible to others, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, and the impact they have in the workplace if not disclosed.

The author, Michele Niec, does an excellent job of exploring the complexities of invisible illness and offers concrete strategies for leaders to support employees who may be struggling with these conditions. She dives into the cultural and societal factors that contribute to the stigma surrounding invisible illness and provides a framework for creating a more inclusive and supportive work environment.

One of the most valuable aspects of the book is the authors' emphasis on open and honest communication. She encourages leaders to create a culture of transparency and vulnerability, where employees feel comfortable discussing their health conditions and seeking support when needed. Niec also provides practical tips for how to have difficult conversations about invisible illness, such as how to balance the need for privacy with the need for transparency and how to communicate with empathy and understanding.

Overall, A Leadership Guide to Normalizing the Discussion of Invisible Illness in the Workplace is a valuable resource for any leader looking to create a more inclusive and supportive work environment for employees struggling with an invisible illness. It is well-written and thoughtfully researched, and offers practical strategies for addressing this important and often overlooked issue. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in creating a more inclusive and supportive workplace." - Chief Marketing Officer

Available on Amazon

About the Author

Contact Michele at

michele.niec@gmail.com

Michele Lee Niec is a marketing, public relations, and media strategist focused on driving creative solutions in support of business goals and objectives. Michele is recognized for her ability to understand the attitudes and concerns of the community, consumers, employees, and public interest groups.

A professional storyteller, content creator, and communicator, Michele has over 40 years of professional experience in television, media relations, public relations, design, and marketing. She has a passion to ask questions, to investigate the story behind the story, to see the story from every angle, and then to dig deeper into the why and the how.

She received her B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration and double minor in Communication and Workplace Leadership in 2022 from Tennessee Technological University. She will begin to pursue a master’s degree at Tennessee Tech beginning in January 2023.

As the founding member of the Tennessee Chapter of the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation, she was the 2016 Tennessee MG Ambassador, and she continues to administer an online support group – Tennessee Friends with MG.

Michele was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee. She and her husband John married in 1993, and have one son, Austin.