Would you say you’re flourishing?
It’s not a word we hear often in today’s fast-paced world. A little whimsical, a little niche. It sounds more at home in poetry or therapy than in the boardroom. Yet recently, in an interview with The New York Times, Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, used it to describe today’s youth. Or rather, to highlight their struggle: he called them “the least flourishing generation today.”
That’s a bold claim and one that leaders would do well to reflect on.
Right now, we’re questioning the very value of human intelligence and skills. We’re trying to articulate the multi-faceted nature of what makes us human. So, asking whether we’re flourishing might feel self-indulgent. It isn’t. Quite the opposite.
Today, our jobs and our sense of self are more connected than ever. Even with more attention on mental health, many people are still struggling. And while we’re constantly connected online, more and more people feel lonely. On top of all that, leaders are being asked to lead yet another big shift, this time focused on changing skills, roles, and team structures to prepare for agentic AI. (Even though we’re still figuring out the ROI of generative AI.)
That’s a lot for any leader to juggle.
It might help to find a word that cuts through the noise, something that captures the messy complexity of being both human AND an employee. “Flourishing” does that.
According to the Human Flourishing Program, six core domains contribute to human flourishing:
- Happiness and life satisfaction
- Mental and physical health
- Meaning and purpose
- Character and virtue
- Close social relationships
- Financial and material stability
These areas all work together, but it’s normal to do well in some and have a hard time with others. In a 2017 paper, the program’s director, Tyler VanderWeele, shared more ways people can flourish, like enjoying music or art or being part of a group or community, whether it’s religious or not.
But one finding stands out: for communities to flourish, their leaders must lead with integrity.
There’s a strong link between a leader’s integrity and how well their team does, how resilient, creative, and healthy they are. It’s one of the biggest challenges leaders face today. But hidden in this thoughtful paper are four simple ideas that get right to the point:
- Flourishing people help others. So, make a small positive difference every day.
- Flourishing people embrace learning. Growth, personal and professional, makes us better humans.
- Flourishing people play. Too much passive leisure (like scrolling or binge-watching) is eroding creativity. Workplaces should allow time for playful experimentation, for the joy of it.
- Flourishing people connect. Feeling needed fosters purpose and it’s often overlooked.
Leaders who flourish lead by example. And when leaders support and protect their teams, those teams are more likely to flourish too.
The word might sound poetic. But the impact is anything but abstract.
Ready to explore what flourishing leadership really looks like?
Join a Kingdom Factor Cohort (KFC), a space where Christian CEOs, entrepreneurs, and executives grow together in purpose, integrity, and impact. Click here to learn more.