5 EPIC LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES FROM MY BOOK "WORK LIFE WELL-LIVED"

Two days ago, my book Work Life Well-Lived: The Motives Met Pathway to No-B.S. Well-Being at Work officially launched into the world and it's already a #1 Amazon Best Seller! This book is unlike any other book you have read about creating your best work life or workplace. Why? Because what we have traditionally been taught about health and happiness at work is wrong. Yep, I said it. My team and I at Motives Met dove into the research to get it right and discovered a completely new mindset and approach around what well-being at work is all about, how to get there, and why it’s so important that we do get there. So, why do we need to get there?

• To reap all the big benefits like reducing stress and eliminating burnout.
• Having a greater ability to attract and captivate your best employees.
• Amplifying psychological safety and trust.
• Boosting mental health, connection, and happiness.

Good stuff happens when people are well at work, and in the book, I share the data to back it up. The ripple effect of championing well-being isn’t just a wise decision – it’s a moral imperative. 67% of employees believe well-being at work is a right, not a privilege. Successful leaders believe this, too.

In Work Life Well-Lived, I share the 5-step pathway to guide you to a work life well-lived for yourself, the people you work with, and those you lead. The truth is, as I’m sure you already know, creating a thriving work culture is hard. INCREDIBLY HARD! That’s why I wrote this book and give you the tools, like free access to the Motives Met Human Needs assessment™, to make it much easier. The Human Needs Assessment is a $20 value that is free with the book and shines a spotlight on the unique human needs, like BELONGING, GROWTH, SELF-ESTEEM, FAIRNESS, and PURPOSE, driving well-being at work today.  

Our research findings reveal a stark reality: only 16% of employees thrive at work. We are dedicated to changing that, and leaders like you will make a profound impact. If you want to be a leader your team wants to work for, if you want to amplify the work well-being movement, or, hey, if you just want to make retaining and supporting employees a lot easier on you, then you need this book! You can get your copy here. Still need convincing? Here are five epic strategies I’ll teach you that will change your leadership life. 

5  Leadership Strategies I Teach You in Work Life Well-Lived:

1. CREATE SHARED MEANING AND BELIEF AROUND WORK WELL-BEING

If work well-being is the goal, then we need clarity on what that actually means. But it turns out the world doesn’t know how to define well-being. The research is disjointed, the opinions vast, the noise overwhelming. This poses a problem because goal clarity = goal achievement. For people to successfully work together toward any aim, they, of course, need to know what they are aiming for. Sounds simple, but if creating your best workplace with employee well-being is the desired outcome, have you defined what that means for your team or organization? In the book, I share our extensive research that unpacks the 28 psychological, emotional, and social needs, what we call motives, that get to the bottom of what being well and performing well at work are all about. It dares to question the status quo and old-school beliefs, providing you with a fresh, innovative framework for cultivating a phenomenal workplace. 

2. CULTIVATE THE MOTIVES MINDSET WITH THE 10 WORK LIFE WELL-LIVED PRINCIPLES

You will learn how to collectively cultivate the ‘Motives Mindset,’ which includes the beliefs, attitudes, and thoughts that ensure the 28 motives are honored, protected, and strengthened. That is what a positive work culture is all about. To help you master the Motives Mindset, we developed our Work Life Well-Lived Principles. These are commitments to live by, and when you embed these into the heart of your team or organization, you will see how they transform your work culture from the inside out. These principles guide mutual responsibility, accountability, and action. They challenge us to hold ourselves and each other to higher standards. 

3. LIGHTEN THE LOAD BY CO-CREATING WELL-BEING

Speaking of collective responsibility, the book helps you “share the emotional labor” of leading a positive culture of work wellness. A Harvard Business Review article titled “The Emotional Labor of Being a Leader” paints this picture well, saying, “Leaders are expected to attend to employees’ mental and physical health and burnout (while also addressing their own), demonstrate bottomless sensitivity and compassion, and provide opportunities for flexibility and remote work — all while managing the bottom line, doing more with less, and overcoming challenges with hiring and retaining talent.” That’s a tall order, for sure. I’ll show you how to share the responsibility using the co-creation model, not crumble under the weight of it. Well-being at work is a collective creation that happens when individuals, work peers, and leaders show up in meaningful ways to uplift our core human needs at work. 

And here’s the kicker: something amazing happens when you open up this two-way street of compassion. By weaving this framework of shared understanding and responsibility into the fabric of your team, everyone starts to get it. They understand the tough spots you are in as a leader that not everything is going to be picture-perfect, and they see how vital their role really is. It’s about building a space where compassion and responsibility flow freely in both directions, recognizing that everyone is in this together. 

4. SHIFT FROM ONE SIZE FITS NONE LEADERSHIP TO A PERSONALIZED APPROACH THAT ACTUALLY WORKS 

To lead people to a work life well-lived, you need to coach, teach, support, serve, and inspire each person and each team uniquely, based on who they are and the unique human needs that drive them. Our research also revealed that each of the 28 motives matter, but they don’t matter equally to each person. PASSION and FUN could be huge well-being drivers for one person, while another could honestly care less. Their need to reach their FUTURE SUCCESS and INNOVATE is what matters most to them. All of these human needs are worthy and important at work, so motive diversity must be respected and embraced. If you want to motivate, retain, and support your people, you must leave the one-size-fits-all approach at the door. I’ll show you how to get to know each person as a human being with unique human needs that go a tremendously long way for them and you. 

5. CREATE A PEOPLE-FIRST ACTION PLAN 

Talk of a “people-first” culture is everywhere these days, isn’t it? It’s almost a catchy marketing phrase that is thrown around, yet it still often feels void of clarity of what a more human experience at work means. Prioritizing people means prioritizing our human needs and the emotions fueling those needs. If you’re genuinely committed to walking the people-first walk and nurturing a culture where everyone thrives, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and sketch out a solid people-first action plan, and I’ll help you create one, a really GOOD one! I give you an evergreen blueprint to continue evolving over time. I will help you examine the beliefs, support from others, small actions, big “to-do’s,” and the “don’ts” to elevate needs like PRESTIGE, SECURITY, FLEXIBILITY, FUN, APPRECIATION, and INNOVATION in your workplace. As you journey through the book’s guided pathway and incorporate feedback and creative insights from your employees, you take a collaborative, unified approach that strengthens your well-being strategy.

The book packs far more wisdom beyond these five strategies, though these alone will be a serious game changer. This is your invitation to embrace a leadership style that is both profoundly human and impactful. Let Work Life Well-Lived be your guide to creating an environment where everyone, including you, can genuinely say about your workplace, “I love it here.” Grab your copy!

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