Take a quick look at your team. Look at their faces during your next meeting, scan their body language, and notice their energy levels.
What do you see? What do you feel?
Let me share something that might explain what you're observing: Only 31% of U.S. employees are engaged at work – the lowest in a decade. Let that sink in. That's a lot. Imagine you're coaching a basketball team where only two players are actually trying to win the game, while two are checking their phones, and one is actively trying to score for the other team. Not exactly a recipe for championship performance, right?
And yet, that's exactly what's happening in workplaces across America. The latest Gallup numbers confirm what many leaders have been feeling in their gut: we're not just dealing with a post-pandemic slump – we're facing a full-blown engagement crisis.
As an executive wellness & leadership coach, I've seen this movie before. Leaders come to me for various reasons – some want to improve their physical health and energy, others are wrestling with stress management, navigating challenging relationships, or battling imposter syndrome. My approach, which I call Wellbeingness® (think wellness plus wellbeing), addresses both the physical side (health, energy, and performance) and the mental-emotional dimension. Because here's the truth: when leaders aren't operating at their best – physically, mentally, and emotionally – their teams feel it. And no engagement program in the world can make up for leaders who are running on empty.
Reading these numbers, I couldn't help but think about my clients' journeys. When someone starts their wellness journey, they often think it's all about the workout plan or diet. But just like you can't build muscle by reading about dumbbells, you can't build engagement by merely talking about it.
Here's what fascinates me: Whether we're trying to improve our health or lead a team, the core challenge is the same – consistency in the small things that matter. Just as sustainable health isn't built in a weekend warrior session but in daily choices, great leadership isn't created in a one-off workshop but in moment-to-moment decisions.
Think about it: How can we create clarity for others when our own minds are cluttered with stress? How can we genuinely care for our teams if we're running on empty? How can we develop others if we're not committed to our own growth?
This is why I'm thrilled about my upcoming interview with Dr. Michael Frisina, author of "Leading with Your Upper Brain." His work brilliantly connects the dots between personal mastery and organizational effectiveness. (And trust me, it's not just about doing more brain crunches!)
Just as I learned that sustainable health transformation requires more than just counting calories – it requires managing our minds and emotions – effective leadership requires more than just managing tasks and targets.
The solution isn't another engagement survey or another round of team-building exercises (though I do love a good trust fall). It starts with leaders who:
Here's what these principles look like in action:
Remember: Just like you can't out-train a poor diet, you can't out-program poor leadership habits. These aren't just nice-to-have practices – they're the fundamental moves that separate high-performing teams from the rest.
If these engagement numbers hit close to home, if you're feeling like you're running on a leadership treadmill – lots of motion but no real progress – I invite you to join me for a transformative conversation with Dr. Michael Frisina. We'll dive deep into:
👉 Reserve your spot for this exclusive interview.
Let's move beyond the statistics and start creating workplaces where engagement isn't just a metric – it's a natural outcome of authentic, self-aware leadership.
Just like health, leadership isn't about quick fixes; it's about sustainable, consistent practices that transform how we show up for ourselves and others.
Create a healthy day!
~traci
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