What is a Flourishing Leader?

Before we try to answer this important question, let’s recap where we’ve been.

Flourishing is multi-dimensional. It isn’t just about money and health.

Flourishing flows from the inside out. You can’t give what you don’t have.

Flourishing isn’t devoid of suffering and struggle. Paradoxically, suffering and struggle are a most common path to authentic flourishing.

Flourishing is access to:

External Resources: food, water, shelter, safety, medical care

External Relationships: love, family, friends, community

Internal Resources/Relationships: spiritual, mental, emotional & physical

So, what would this look like for an executive? If you were charged with the crime of flourishing, what evidence would the prosecution use to try to convict you?

If I was the prosecution, my case wouldn’t focus on External Resources. Most executives have plenty of access to food, water, shelter, care, and safety. In fact, most executives have access to an abundance of these resources and over-value them to the detriment of the other flourishing resources and relationships.

I would start my case with External Relationships. While executives have plenty of external resources, they rarely have external relationships. Many executives have strained relationships with their spouse and family, few friends, and no real community. If you have an abundance of external resources but limited external relationships, you are not really flourishing.

But my closing arguments would center on the Internal Resources & Relationships that most executives lack. Very few executives are healthy spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. We’ve all met the very spiritual CEO or the Ironman Triathlon CEO, but how many executives do you know that are truly healthy across all four of these dimensions? Very few.

Here is a brief diagnostic to evaluate your health across these 4 dimensions. Rate yourself on a scale from 0 (I don’t even understand what these words mean) to 10 (this sounds a lot like me)

Spiritual

I have a clear sense of purpose in my life. I know why I’m here.

I have a clear vision for my life. I know who I want to be and what I’m trying to accomplish with my life.

I have a clear plan for my life. I know how I’m going to become the person I want to be and how I’m going to achieve what I want to accomplish.

I know what is important to me, and both my calendar and my bank statements reflect my priorities.

Mental

I have a healthy awareness of my wounds, weaknesses, struggles and fears.

My inner monologue (the story you tell yourself about yourself) is both true and kind

I am conscious of my stress levels and have both a healthy attitude and healthy coping mechanisms to deal with my personal and professional stress

I regularly take days off and vacation days to unplug from work

Emotional

I have processed any known trauma and/or family of origin issues in my story

I have a least 1 person I can be completely honest with, and I regularly tell them what is really going on in my life

I have friends (not clients or coworkers) and I regularly spend time with them.

I am able to ask for help when I am struggling

Physical

I exercise 3-5 times per week

I average 7 to 8 hours of sleep

I maintain a healthy diet

I regularly (at least annually) see a doctor and a dentist

How did you do?

If you are like me, you likely found some areas that need attention. The nerd in me wants to put a scorecard together …

>100 points = totally flourishing

80-100 points = kind of flourishing

etc

But I don’t think flourishing actually works that way. As we’ve seen, flourishing is more nuanced than we can capture in a single dashboard. But I would encourage you to reflect on the External Resources, External Relationships, and Internal Resources/Relationships you possess. Make a note to yourself to address whatever areas need attention. Be sure to ask someone (friend, spouse, coach, counselor, etc) to help you in your journey to become a flourishing leader.