For the Chief, Officer, or Firefighter Who’s Thought ‘Maybe They’re Better Without Me.’

Chief Chris Workman has spent over two decades serving others — first in the fire service, then in policing, and now as Chief of Police in Cheswold, Delaware. But behind the badge, the rank, and the leadership roles, he carried a private battle that almost cost him his life. In this episode, Chief Workman shares openly about hitting rock bottom, the phone call that changed everything, and his mission to break the stigma around mental health through The Deep Blue Project and his book Silence Behind the Blue Wall. We explore why leaders must delegate and trust their teams, even when ego and fear make it difficult, and why “check-the-box leadership” is harming departments across the country. Chief Workman talks about the importance of testing early for cancer, knowing you’re not alone in your struggles, and remembering that you are a human being — not a machine. His honesty exposes the gap between the advice chiefs often give and the advice they actually follow, and he offers practical wisdom for leaders and agencies that want to create cultures of honesty, care, vulnerability, and real support.