“What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another.”—Mahatma Gandhi
As we reconsider the future of life and work, I think we have an unprecedented (there, I said it) opportunity to view how a true commitment to health and wellness can unite us. That is, by reexamining how all of the pieces in our companies and communities (or our lives!) can actually come together to create a much more meaningful whole, one designed to make wellness a more inherent part of who we are. In this way, I think the business of wellness has just as much potential to impact the business of life, provided we apply lessons from the past and take a truly holistic, intentional approach to its future application.
To ultimately make wellness part of an organization’s DNA—whether that organization is a household, city, public, private, non-profit, or for-profit entity—we need to identify and activate true Ecosystems of Wellbeing that account for all of the stakeholders that the system touches, from leaders and colleagues to consumers and communities. More specifically:
- If leaders make their personal wellbeing a priority, they will perform better, positively influence the behaviors of fellow executives, who in turn, set the tone for their teams and employees.
- If employees believe that their wellbeing is not only supported but modeled by their leaders, they will be more productive and happier at work, and better serve consumers.
- If consumers buy a company’s products and services, believe that it genuinely cares for its employees with reverence for the planet, they will consume more, therefore positively impacting business performance.
- If companies are more productive and profitable, they will be in a better position to care for the wellbeing of the communities within which they operate, and more easily recruit future talent. And the cycle repeats, over and over again as illustrated below.
21st Century Leadership: A Call to Action Before Amnesia Sets In
To activate these Ecosystems of Wellbeing, we need to identify C-Suite leaders who are ready to lead the charge before the world—eager to return to business as usual—catches a convenient case of amnesia. From my perspective, this means naming chief wellbeing officers with job descriptions proactively designed with the wellbeing of all its stakeholders in mind, both internal and external. These positions should not be side jobs or projects, but instead, be resourced by leaders who are empowered to rise above purely commercial interests (like the sale of products and services) or internal initiatives (like workplace wellness, environmental sustainability, or even diversity, equity, and inclusion) to activate holistic ecosystems that truly stand to impact culture and business performance while yes, making the world a better place.
In fact, it’s high time that we heed Gandhi’s advice. By better caring for the forests of the world, both literal and figurative, we can make the business of wellness not only synonymous with a well-operated company, but also, a well-lived life inclusive of all people and planet.
Read part one of this powerful essay here: The Business Of Wellness: How to Rise Above the Hype for A More Inclusive and Impactful Future
*This article is an excerpt from THE BUSINESS OF WELLNESS: How to Rise Above the Hype for A More Inclusive & Impactful Future
Ecosystems of Wellbeing™ is a trademark of Kyricos & Associates, LLC.
