Healthspan?
I recently finished a book called Outlive by Dr. Peter Attia (who I first heard of as part of the Chris Hemsworth documentary series Limitless).
The book challenges current health care approaches that primarily seek to extend our lifespan by treating diseases when they begin to negatively impact us. Attia pushes for a long term preventative approach with the intent of extending our years before being affected by declining health, and using our healthier years to their greatest effect. He describes it as Medicine 3.0, a focus on healthspan, not lifespan. It’s an inspiring, informative, and challenging book.
We may need a similar resource on organizational health.
Too often as leaders we only pay attention to our leadership health and the health of our organizations after disease sets in. We tend to ignore the earliest warning signs of trouble as long as programs seem effective and donor dollars are rolling in. We don’t address minor conflicts. We don’t invest in team dynamics. We hope things will be fine as long as all seems well.
Sometimes it works.
But often, very often, those small avoidances and missed opportunities to get healthier grow slowly into real issues that become dangerous when we, or our organizations, are under stress. Then we have to deal with them in the midst of several compounding problems.
Too many leaders are convinced they are good problem solvers for their heroic ability to get through a crisis that could have been easily avoided by a much smaller effort when things were relatively better off.
We give too much credit to leaders who handle the rollercoaster turmoil of dizzying heights and desperate lows, and not enough to those who provide longer lasting stability by continually monitoring, and addressing, Strategy, Execution, and Culture.
I get it. We all have too much to do and making the most of positive opportunities often means setting aside some of these longer term challenges while we ride the wave of momentum. Who wants to interrupt a good thing to deal with a minor irritation that might simply pass? Why draw attention to it when there’s so much good stuff happening?
Some leaders are able to keep all of this in mind. They have the temperament, or the discipline, to pause regularly to reassess. They have built teams with diverse abilities so when they might miss or ignore something there is someone else who will speak up. They have built rhythms and routines that ensure there is ongoing evaluation and adjustment.
But many of us need some help.
A highly effective Board of Directors can provide some of this. Building a board calendar that returns to these matters consistently and retains enough closeness to engage well and enough distance to maintain perspective can be greatly beneficial. It’s good governance.
If these are absent or insufficient wise leaders get some outside help.
That’s often where I come in.
Whether it’s enrolling in the Catalyst Executive Team Program or committing to monthly individual PACE Sessions; you can rely on my content and advice to remind you of the bigger picture and urge you to address issues when they’re most manageable. Developing leadership and organizational health on an ongoing basis will enable you to maximize in seasons of abundance and be less negatively affected when the harder times surely come.
Like most people, I tend to take my physical health for granted much of the time. The Outlive book has spurred me to be more intentional about what I’m doing now to prepare for the life I want to have at 80 years old and beyond. In some ways I offer a similar service to your organization’s long term objectives.
Contact me if I can be helpful to you and/or your organization.
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