IN 2014 , THE NEW YORK TIMES ran an image of Suneel Gupta within the article “ Wearing Your Failures on Your Sleeve .”

Gupta commenced his keynote presentation on Day Two of the 2024 ISPA Conference by displaying the newspaper clipping , joking that he was literally the face of failure .“ Everybody fails ,” he said ,“ but long-term success comes from short-term embarrassment . So I decided to email this article to everyone I could .”

Drawing insights from conversations with numerous successful leaders , Gupta identified a common thread among them : energy . He clarified that it wasn ’ t hyperactivity or being the loudest voice in the room , but rather the capacity to accomplish tasks efficiently .

Highlighting a concerning statistic — 40 percent of C-suite executives contemplate leaving their jobs within a year due to exhaustion — Gupta cautioned Conference attendees against sacrificing personal well-being for work . He then proceeded to share several strategies to help spa leaders boost their energy levels .

1 Take tiny , focused breaks : Incorporate short breaks into your routine , mirroring the practice of high-

“ If there ’ s anything I ’ ve learned in my research , it ’ s that the human mind can be a bit of a trickster . By being open and honest about what we ’ re going through , it can be a gift to the people around us .”

— SUNEEL GUPTA

22 PULSE n JUNE 2024