7 reasons why the best leaders will increasingly focus on wellbeing.

Wellbeing – the quality of life in balance with people, species and planet – drives all human motivation. It encompasses purpose, achievement, relationships, resilience, sustainability, and positive experiences. The most effective leaders understand this fundamental truth.

Here are 7 reasons why the best leaders are increasingly focusing on wellbeing as the route to greater personal, team and organisational success:

1. It’s the right thing to do

Peter Drucker’s distinction that “managers do things right and leaders do the right things” raises a critical question: How should we measure true leadership success? Today’s most impactful leaders are evaluated not just by financial metrics, but by their ability to improve lives, forge strong relationships, overcome challenges, protect our planet, and inspire others. They create positive change through an unwavering focus on wellbeing – the most powerful catalyst for transforming both people and processes. Can you imagine a more compelling leadership mission?

2. It lends itself to a systemic approach to leadership

Wellbeing holds meaning for individuals, teams, organisations, communities, countries and even the world at large. Leaders need a perspective across all of these domains and wellbeing provides them with a common lens with which to view this.

3. It will help us all become more successful

*Research supports that focusing on improving happiness and wellbeing will lead to more successful outcomes in domains such as work life, relationships, health, positive perceptions of self and others, sociability, creativity, problem solving, physical wellbeing and coping. Research has also correlated happiness with increased productivity, profitability, sales, performance and return on investment.

So wellbeing is compatible with, and even contributes to, greater productivity and improving the bottom line. Here’s some recent research, examples and case studies of a organisations that have improved the wellbeing of employees, whilst also increasing productivity.

What happened when I moved my company to a 5 hour work day

Thriving Workplaces: How Employers can Improve Productivity and Change Lives

A head for business – the importance of employee wellbeing

4. It can bind cultures

With the increasing requirement for leaders to inspire people from diverse cultures our growing understanding of wellbeing can provide a platform for bridging cultural divides. As we understand wellbeing better it can provide a common language between philosophies of the East and West and a goal that all people are inspired to move towards.

5. It can help us navigate change

Wellbeing encourages a focus on resilience, creativity, positivity and a growth mindset. With a more flexible mindset to seize opportunities, and greater resources to bounce back when things don’t go to plan, a focus on wellbeing can help us thrive through change.

6. It can help us tackle some of the most important issues of our time

A focus on wellbeing encourages leaders to focus on sustainable practice from simple practices such as reducing, re-using and re-cycling up to organisational purpose, vision and strategy.

7. It’s rising up the world agenda

What gets measured gets managed and wellbeing is increasingly being recognised and adopted on the world stage. Examples of this include the UN Sustainability Goals, UK’s Measuring what matters, OECD Measuring Wellbeing and Progress to name a few. Over the next few years this focus at the top will increasingly filter down to your organisation. Why not get ahead of the game now!

Take action now

Join forward-thinking leaders who are redefining success through wellbeing. Our coaching approach empowers you to develop unique solutions while providing proven frameworks and expert guidance. Together, we’ll expand your perspective, ignite innovative thinking, and create lasting positive change for both people and planet.

Our services

Wellbeing Designed Organisations – The Wellbeing Design for Business Mastermind Group unites visionary private, public, and the third sector leaders who commit to transforming their organisations through wellbeing-centred approaches. Free workshop slides are provided for those organisations which choose to go it alone.

Wellbeing Mastery for Leaders – a unique 1:1 coaching progamme that delivers personal development and organisational impact. The unique, holistic approach, based on the interconnected wellbeing domains, sets this programme apart from standard leadership development. Through the coaching you develop your own unique way forward.

Speaking – tailored presentations, talks, keynotes and workshops designed to educate, inform and inspire.

*The benefits of frequent positive affect: Does happiness lead to success?Lyubomirsky, S., King, L., & Diener, E. No. 6, 803– 855, s.l. : American Psychological Association, 2005, Psychological Bulletin, Vols. 131,, pp. 131, 803-855.