energy is an outcome of sustained well-being. That’ s why it’ s critical to have deliberate practices to regenerate energy and not just extract human energy. But well-being doesn’ t just come from giving people vacations or perks; it comes when we feel seen, supported and safe every day. That’ s why investing in building a culture where everyone feels seen, heard and valued is a long-term intervention for team wellbeing.

customers and clients) and not the work of doing the work( e. g., politics, culture, bad bosses). l Leaders are aware of struggles in people’ s personal lives, and compassion is the norm. l Leaders are aware of team energy levels. l Exit interview data or employee engagement results are never a surprise. l Negative workplace gossip fades. l Leader-follower interactions aren’ t merely transactional but are transformational. l Voluntary turnover for non-financial reasons is low. l Soft skills are treated as hard skills.

Care, presence and connection— three elements of spa culture PULSE: In service-oriented workplaces, frontline employees often carry the emotional load. How can leaders help ensure these employees feel recognized and supported? ZM: We can’ t lead people we don’ t understand. Having deliberate practices to notice people’ s energy and emotions, observing the details of their work and lives and offering actions to show them that you’ re paying attention is critical. Once we notice our people, we can meaningfully affirm them. Affirmation goes deeper than recognition and names people’ s unique gifts and gives them proof of their impact. Moving away from generic praise or recognition programs and emphasizing interpersonal affirmation is critical.

PULSE: What role does well-being— our own and our team’ s— play in sustaining purposeful leadership? ZM: I mentioned earlier that motivation is energy. Sustained

PULSE: Many spas are small businesses. What are some accessible things small teams can do to reinforce meaning and significance without big budgets or formal programs? ZM: Culture happens in interactions, and it costs nothing to show up in your next interaction and see, hear and value others. But it does take intention and skill. So, naming the expectation that people should feel noticed, affirmed and needed in every interaction and then providing opportunities to build the skills to do so is an important first step.

But the easiest, most high-impact practice is to simply ask all your team members: When you feel that you matter here, what am I doing? What are we doing? Now, do more of those things. n

Quick Hits on What Matters Most

A wellness habit you wish you’ d discovered earlier? Reading every day.

Something young students intuitively“ get” about mattering that adults often forget? Hurry and care can’ t coexist. Kids are talking to their friends and thinking about what they must do. They’ re talking to their friends to be a friend.

The book you gift most often? Man’ s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl.

A recent discovery that’ s made your life better? The difference between evaluative questions( ones where we judge the quality of someone’ s response) versus exploratory questions( ones where we explore the person’ s experience).

Describe a great leader— in one word.

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