What It Means to Coach for Thriving

In today’s rapidly changing world, the concept of thriving has taken on new significance. Our recent session, “What Does it Mean to Coach for Thriving?” explored how we can foster environments where individuals and teams thrive.

Why Thriving Matters Now

We’re currently experiencing a global reassessment of what work means in our lives and how it contributes to our overall wellbeing. The evidence is compelling:

50% of the global workforce would accept a 20% pay cut for better quality of life
Only 38% of leaders demonstrate the skills needed to flourish amid uncertainty
23% of adults worldwide reported feeling lonely during the previous day
The global wellness market has grown to approximately $6.3 billion – three to four times the size of the pharmaceutical market

As one participant noted in the session, “uncertainty is predominant” in today’s environment. Others pointed to leaders struggling to lead their employees through change and “hierarchical structures that just aren’t working.”

Understanding Thriving

We define thriving as “feeling internally well-resourced to meet the current demands of our life and work with a sense of vitality, competence, and growth.” This state isn’t constant but evolves through different stages of our lives and careers.

Two foundational principles guide our approach:

Thriving is innate: Just as we’re biologically hardwired to survive, we’re also hardwired to thrive. Nature itself thrives, and as part of nature, so do we.
Wellbeing inspires well-doing: When we’re internally resourced, we naturally show up more effectively, creatively, and productively. Our nervous systems become more regulated, which positively affects those around us.

The Framework for Thriving

Our approach works through six dimensions: Thriving, Fuel, Flow, Wonder, Wisdom, and Thriving Amplified. These dimensions encompass 19 biopsychosocial-spiritual factors that support psychological wellbeing and resilience.

This framework encourages us to ask powerful questions:

What does it mean for me to thrive?
What does it mean for our team to thrive together?
How can this project actually add to our capacity to thrive?

Real-World Impact

Organizations implementing this approach have seen remarkable results:

The Principal Impact Collaborative in North Texas integrated the thriving framework into a two-year fellowship for principals during the pandemic (2020-2022). Participants were:

81% more likely to remain in their roles during a time of high educator turnover
Better able to think innovatively when problem-solving
Reporting significantly reduced work-related stress

Mulino Bianco applied the framework to team development during remote work transitions. As Julia Schwoerer, VP of Marketing of Mulino Bianco, shared during our session: “The contagious character of the whole exercise… didn’t stop with the pilot itself but led to other pilots and other teams becoming involved. Even people who were the most skeptical became the best ambassadors of thriving.”

Benefits of Coaching for Thriving

When we coach for thriving, we:

Facilitate meaningful conversations about thriving grounded in science.
Expand awareness and understanding of what it means to thrive for individuals and teams.
Support individuals in making the connection between how they work and their capacity to thrive.
Enable leaders to take positive actions for their wellbeing and effectiveness.
Cultivate deep relationships with those you support for their long-term success, vitality, and growth.
Empower others to achieve sustainable performance with greater fulfillment.

Moving Forward with Courage

As Renée emphasized during our session, coaching for thriving is “an act of courage” in today’s world. While we face challenges and sometimes see leadership approaches that contradict thriving principles, we’re part of a growing movement committed to transformational leadership centered on human potential and wellbeing.

“We are not alone,” Renée reminded us. “As we have more of a way of leading in the world which is not one that I subscribe to… I believe a result of that is more people coming out of the groundwork to say, ‘I stand for something different. I stand for the thriving of all people.'”