Wellbeing & the Impact at Board Level

Drawing from the science of positive psychology, Erica Terblanche shares her expertise and comprehensive insights on addressing critical issues related to wellbeing, mental health, and the importance of integrating these considerations into corporate leadership and culture.

Her focus on the science of happiness, the significant impact of mental health crises globally, especially among younger populations, and the crucial role of board members and leaders in promoting a culture of wellbeing, offers a lot of food for thought.
In the bustling corridors of corporate governance, a new dialogue is emerging, championed by our CEO,  Sharon Constançon and guest speaker Erica Terblanche, founder of Thrive Guru. Sharon and Erica share their insights on simple and practical actions we can take as Board members to improve our own mental wellbeing & resilience, and how we can cascade these into our leadership teams and organisation for radical impact and competitive advantage. Read on or watch the discussion replay as we embark on a series focused on examining the broader aspects of board effectiveness. In this session we integrate wellbeing with corporate excellence, shifting our attention from typical focus areas like governance, behaviour, and leadership to a more holistic view of effectiveness that goes beyond conventional metrics.
Key Take Aways:

The Global Mental Health Crisis

We are living in an era where mental health is becoming an increasingly pressing issue. We are facing a global mental health crisis where one in three employees in the Western world are struggling mentally.

In the face of this crisis, positive psychologist Erica suggests that board members can take simple, practical actions to improve their own mental wellbeing and resilience and importantly cascade these actions throughout their organisations delivering a happy workplace for all and a company able to re-energise their competitive advantage.

This is the second year of the Mental State of the World Report providing a view of the Internet enabled English speaking population in eight countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore and South Africa.

Mental-State-of-the-World-2021
Mental State of the World 2021, Global Mind Project, Sapien Labs, March 15, 2022

The Science of Happiness

Leadership and the Cultivation of Wellbeing

Crucially, the culture of wellbeing, like corporate culture, starts at the top and ultimately begins with the board.

As an experienced corporate strategist and sustainability expert, Erica has spent over 20 years working at executive and board levels. Her journey of self-discovery and growth has taken her from the self-help section of Exclusive Books and Barnes and Noble to the frontiers of positive psychology and extreme distance running.

Erica’s experience, as a corporate coach, has evidenced to her that there is a strong correlation between the wellbeing of the workforce and financial sustainable performance of the organisation.

Leaders who prioritise their own mental health tend to have more engaged and productive teams. To help board members improve their wellbeing and resilience, Erica recommends several practical actions that board members can take, including practicing gratitude, engaging in physical activity, cultivating positive relationships, and setting boundaries.

Corporate Wellbeing as a Differentiator

Amidst the backdrop of the mental health epidemic, corporate wellbeing initiatives stand out not just as moral imperatives but as strategic differentiators. Organisations that authentically commit to the health and happiness of their employees can distinguish themselves in a competitive landscape, attracting and retaining the talent that is increasingly prioritising wellbeing over traditional markers of job attractiveness.

Practical Steps Toward Enhancing Wellbeing

The journey to improved wellbeing is paved with simple, yet profoundly impactful practices. Erica shares strategies such as cultivating moment-to-moment awareness, constructively engaging with negative emotions, and fostering a mindset of gratitude. These practices, scientifically validated for their positive impact on mental and emotional resilience, offer tangible pathways for individuals to enhance their wellbeing.

Why not try them out for yourself?

Together, these four practices will unlock your personal “joie de vivre” and allow you to fully appreciate being in the present.

Charting the Course Forward

When board members lead by example and these behaviours and culture cascade into their organisation, a culture of wellbeing and resilience is created. By modelling these behaviours, themselves, they create opportunities for team members to engage in activities that promote wellbeing and build positive relationships, creating a positive, productive environment for their teams.

Erica’s insights highlight the importance of prioritising mental wellbeing and resilience for both individuals and organisations. By taking simple, practical actions, board members can improve their own wellbeing and create a culture of positivity and productivity within their organisations. In doing so, they can gain a competitive advantage in an increasingly challenging business environment.

As we venture further into this series, the aim is to explore the multifaceted ways in which the culture of wellbeing can be nurtured and leveraged within the corporate context for greater effectiveness and fulfilment. Erica’s insights serve as a foundational pillar in this exploration, guiding us towards a future where corporate success is inseparable from the wellbeing of its people.

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