Well-Being Boss or Well-Being Leader?

Are you a “boss” or a “leader?” Maybe you’ve seen an illustration like the one we’ve chosen for this blog. The leader is out in front, contributing to the mission and showing everyone how to pull the rope, but the “boss” sits and points – being pulled as they shout orders.

Most successful leaders understand the lesson here; delegating and demanding without getting your hands dirty doesn’t work. Yet, for some reason, many of those same leaders struggle to apply this lesson to employee well-being. Why is that?

How do you think the “boss” and the “leader” in this image would view employee well-being initiatives within their organization?

Which one would view employee well-being as an “extra” and which one would see it as an imperative? Who would see well-being as a personal matter that doesn’t belong at work, and who would see it as a critical part of every person’s performance? Between the two, which one would need to be “strongly encouraged” to participate, and which would be curious about their team’s individual well-being needs?

Well-being leaders believe people do their best work when they are well.

And they understand that well-being is much more than physical health.

But even the greatest leaders can find ways to better support their employees’ well-being. That’s why we built the Leader Well-Being Self-Assessment. Designed for any people leader, the questions in this document illustrate twenty different ways leaders can elevate well-being within their team. Use it with yourself, or your entire organization to spark critical conversations and help everyone thrive.