Workplace Wellness that Works: 10 Steps to Infuse Well-Being and Vitality into Any Organization

Step 2Imagine What's Possible(The Imagination Imperative)

In 2014, the Seattle Seahawks won their first Super Bowl title. The real story behind the headlines was Mike Gervais, the team's sports psychologist. To inspire peak performance, Gervais began every initial conversation with the question, “What's possible?” Then he worked with each player and coach to develop a practice of mindfulness, helping each to shift from seeking the moment (of a winning play) to being in every moment. In a talk at the 2014 Wisdom 2.0 Conference, the interviewer asked Gervais, “How do you know when the players are actually getting it?” Gervais hesitated for a brief moment and then shared the story of a large defensive player who made a fantastic play. The player stormed off the field, ran up to Gervais, and shouted, “THAT'S what I'm f'ing talkin' about!”

Agents of change imagine what's possible—and then paint a picture of a desired future state that's worth working toward. This is exactly what you need to do in conceptualizing and leading the wellness movement within your organization.

In this chapter, we'll discuss:

1. Creating a vision for what's possible,
2. Abraham Maslow, an early pioneer in focusing on what's possible over what's wrong,
3. Leveraging Maslow to move workplace wellness beyond “health,”
4. Research showing that our health is more than a physical checkup, and
5. The multiple dimensions of ...