“If you bring people into a system that was not created for them, what you’re really doing is asking them to assimilate and give up part of what they are.” 

– Linked In: @Salma Shah PCC post quoting @Dr. Terrence E. Maltbia

When my family emigrated to the U.S., my mother encouraged me to assimilate into the culture as a means of survival and protection. As I grew up, I encountered many systems—public school, college, work, and marriage—each of which included and imposed its own set of rules. 

These conventions, which regulated and enforced what was and was not deemed appropriate, are examples of closed—or cybernetic—systems. A cybernetic system is self-regulating, aligned toward achieving a common goal, and relies on feedback to retain steady state equilibrium. There is value in such a system; yet, it also has limitations, in that it functions on cause and effect and attempts to self-correct in order to deviate as little as possible from its “comfort zone.” 

Achieving transformation requires individuals and organizations to transcend the “cause and effect paradigm” and invite divergent points of view into the system. What occurs when we invite those who did not create systems to assist us in transforming them? When people join together to develop a working model and devise a plan of action, they learn together when they apply the new model and collectively engage in meaning making.

In many respects, this describes the situation that has been transpiring over the 19 months since the COVID-19 pandemic began: We have invited each other to interrogate systems—particularly those that perpetuate oppression—in order to co-create a meta-system that holds the perspectives of its participants. 

This process takes courage: Courage to explore one another’s experiences by gathering perspectives, suspending our assumptions, and circuiting biases. Courage to see and acknowledge our power, recognize how it interrelates to that of others and understands how these dynamics influence the system. Courage to offer opportunities to bridge difference as a means of advancing inclusion and equity.

What is possible when we allow people to affect a system and inform its direction when we give up disguising “business as usual” with new buzzwords? We curate possibility. We create equitable, win/win scenarios, whereby needs + your needs + their needs + our needs are met, because there is enough space for everyone to show up as they are.

Systems that are built on equity allow both individuals and organizations/structures to thrive. When people flourish in all five well-being areas—physical, social, financial, career and community—they experience better health outcomes. 

Remaining competitive and maximizing business performance in today’s workplaces requires employers to assume responsibility for fostering wellbeing by promoting:

We measure organizations and systems by the positive impact they have on the people who work within them and the impact they are consequently able to have on the planet. When an organization’s employees are engaged at work, the company will consistently meet the goals leaders set and both the firm and its professionals will have the resilience to weather crises. 

How will you cultivate an ecosystem of wellbeing at your organization? What system are you prepared to transform? 

At BETA Coaching and Consulting we amplify individuals’ and organizations’ senses of well-being while nurturing systems to facilitate transformation. We build coaching as an organizational capacity and help professionals and institutions realize their own definitions of well-being across multiple dimensions.

Interested in improving your organization’s well-being? Let’s connect. 

 

In the space between now and the future lies the magic of possibility.

Each of us is at a different level of well-being. This state of being is influenced by the systems in which we live, our genetic and epigenetic profile, temperament, mindset, and many other factors. Our personal values, sense of community and belonging, network of friends and social connections, work and home life and other environmental dynamics and our belief in our ability to impact our well-being all play active roles in how well we are. When you think of your personal well-being, what do you believe is possible?

Well-being operates on a spectrum—at one end, one experiences optimal well-being and at the other end, they experience dis-ease. Individuals often consider their personal well-being when the scales have tipped towards dis-ease. However, when we retain a sense of the personal well-being we desire, we can act to sustain it and respond appropriately when a shift occurs. By becoming aware of what fosters your sense of well-being and understanding the behaviors that contribute to it, you can more easily move in your desired direction.

The Wheel of Life Assessment is a powerful self-evaluation tool to support you in honestly assessing your present well-being, reflecting on how it differs from moments in the past and imagining how well you may feel in the future. This is not wishful thinking: it is an intentional practice. Give yourself time to complete this process in an unhurried, undistracted manner. The Wheel of Life Assessment offers a compass that guides you toward where you can best focus your attention to achieve your goals.  As the saying goes, what we pay attention to, we bring into reality.

What well-being possibilities await you? What do you bravely want to enter or change, so that you can realize the full possibility of your well-being?

As you contemplate the shifts you would like to make or the behaviors you would like to maintain, it is helpful to know where you currently are on the spectrum of change. Are you contemplating a transformation or are you reverting into a previous pattern? The Stages of Change Model[1], also known as the Transtheoretical Model, describes your readiness to make a change or to take on a new behavior.

The Stages of Change Model:

Precontemplation: No intent to make a change

Contemplation: Awareness, with no commitment to act

Preparation: Taking action to address a desired change

Action: Engagement

Maintenance: Sustained change

Relapse: Reverting back into a previous pattern

When you determine what is motivating the change, you can use that inspiration as a beacon on your well-being journey. You may be exploring new and unknown terrain. And, as with any journey, there are many roads you can travel to arrive at your destination. Change requires action, and throughout this process, it will be important to consistently re-evaluate and re-commit to your path, particularly if you encounter any setbacks along the way. Take time to continue to learn from any past successes or missteps and to remind yourself of your commitment to your well-being.

At each stage, you may find that you need to utilize a different tool or strategy to progress along your chosen path. At times, you may notice a delay or identify a faster way to arrive at your destination. It is important to recognize that movement through this model is cyclical: You may progress to the next stage or regress to a previous stage. Sustained change does not signal inaction. Rather, you create stable behaviors and transform them through your efforts.

What would you like to act on, today or in the near term?

At BETA Coaching and Consulting we amplify individuals’ and organizations’ senses of well-being while nurturing systems to facilitate transformation. We build coaching as an organizational capacity and help individuals and institutions realize their definitions of well-being across multiple dimensions.

Interested in improving your well-being?  Let’s connect.

---

[1] Prochaska, J.O., Butterworth, S., Redding, C.A., Burden, V., Perrin, N., Lea, Michael, Flaherty, Robb M., and Prochaska, J.M. (2008). Initial efficacy of MI, TTM tailoring, and HRI’s in multiple behaviors for employee health promotion. Preventive Medicine, 46, 226-231. (Abstract)

It has taken more than forty years for the field of Wellness to expand its focus beyond its 1979 definitions of physical wellness to acknowledge the intricacy of human well-being. Physical wellness is certainly an integral component of well-being; however, it represents only a fraction of the full scope of well-being.

According to Thomas Scanlon, well-being is not a separate good that is promoted by the things that contribute to it. Instead, it is what is termed an inclusive good, one that is made up of other things that are good.

Through its global research, Gallup has identified five elements of well-being that allow us to thrive:

• Career Well-being: How you occupy your time, or simply liking what you do every day
• Social Well-being: Having strong relationships and love in your life
• Financial Well-being: Effectively managing your economic life
• Physical Well-being: Possessing good health and enough energy to complete daily activities
• Community Well-being: Retaining a sense of engagement with the area in which you live

These factors are deeply interrelated. For example, an individual’s financial well-being may be linked to their career well-being and whether their employer practices pay equity. The layout and features of one’s community, such as an abundance or lack of sidewalks or green space, may enhance or detract from their physical well-being. Or perhaps even a satisfying career may require a person to work an exorbitant number of hours, thus limiting a sense of social well-being and connection with family and friends.

Although well-being is variable and subjective and therefore difficult to quantify, we instinctively know when we are well and when we are not. When we identify which of the five elements needs a little TLC, we can seek out interventions that will amplify our experience in that arena. There are a multitude of ways we can infuse practices into various areas of our lives. Moreover, desired outcomes, although important motivators, are not what drives a sense of well-being. Rather, satisfaction is propelled by how the individual ascribe value to the well-being initiative. Is it worthwhile doing?

Well-being is also fundamental to our overall human performance across the dimensions of our cultural identities. For some it is a form of resistance. For others, it is a systems approach that supports all. And for each of us, it is a lifelong journey. We feed our well-being by connecting with colleagues and our circle of influence, being aware and savoring the moment, challenging ourselves to continuously learn to remain curious, staying active, and appreciating the interconnectedness of all things.

It is said that well-being is a kind of value, that it is good for individuals. And what is good for individuals will be good for an organization. And is good for a society. At the individual or the organizational level, what do you envision as your well-being aim and what are you curious to adopt?

Ecosystems are the natural systems that we depend upon to support our well-being. They provide sustenance in the form of food, clean water and protection from disease and natural hazards. Most importantly, ecosystems are environments that support living things’ freedom to flourish and thrive. The lyrics of Jill Scott’s song My Petition beautifully capture this convergence between natural and human systems and their potential impacts: I want fresh fruit, clean water — Air that I don’t see — I want the feeling of being safe on my streets — I want my children to be smarter than me — I want, I want to feel — I want to feel, I want to feel free. After all, who doesn’t want fresh fruit, clean water, air that they don’t see? These are basic needs that allow us as humans to maintain and nurture ourselves as a species. The ecosystems and human well-being framework states that well-being exists on a continuum and relies upon provisioning, regulating, cultural and supporting services. The pathways between our ecosystem and well-being are direct—as with clean water and air—and indirect, in that they can be comprised of complex social, economic and political webs.

The Main Dimensions of Well-being and its Obverse, Ill-being

All facets of our systems–natural and human–are interwoven, and our physical, mental, social and professional well-being is strongly linked to our complex and ever-changing ecosystem. Many factors contribute to a sense of well-being across cultures and socioeconomic gradients. A safe environment, access to resources to pursue a viable livelihood, health, an ability to express cultural and spiritual values, freedom and choice are essential in cultivating a sense of well-being. However, our society is only as well as each of its members, and this has been spotlighted over the past 16 months. COVID-19 has exposed existing systemic inequities and highlighted the fact that well-being practices are not freely available to all. According to the World Bank (2004), “Equity, a more equal distribution of well-being among people” or “equality in the capability (or freedom) of different individuals to pursue a life of their choosing”. through an equity lens, well-being can be seen as a form of resistance that encompasses a sensitivity to the cultural and personal needs of the individuals within the natural and human systems. We are now called upon to make choices differently than those we have made in the past. Taking the best of our understanding and moving towards a paradigm that cultivates ecosystems of well-being requires that we ensure that all who desire well-being are able to access it without compromising others.

At BETA Coaching and Consulting we endeavor to meet each person and each organization where they are and collaborate with them on their journey to be their best self, their well self. Let’s co-create possibilities!