Prioritize Employees

Lead Well
By Paula Davis
Wharton School Press, 168 pp., $22.99

How can leaders improve the well-being of their teams? That seems like a simple question, but the answer is complex and requires an awareness of self, the team, and the organization. Lead Well outlines why leaders should prioritize and address employee well-being in people management processes.

In part 1, Davis describes why the current approach to work isn't working, which includes the Core 6 drivers of stress and disengagement for employees: unmanageable workload; lack of recognition; lack of community and connection; unfairness; values misalignment; and lack of autonomy, control, and flexibility. Employees feel tired, overworked, and stressed. Companies that use outdated methods of people management are ill-equipped to handle those grievances.

Alternatively, Davis introduces the ABCs of thriving: autonomy, belonging, and challenge. She explains how the Core 6 and ABCs frameworks interconnect and how leaders can leverage both to implement real change in the workforce.

Part 2 of the book walks readers through five leadership mindsets: prioritizing sticky recognition and mattering; amplifying ABC needs; creating workload sustainability; building systemic stress resilience; and promoting value alignment and meaning. The blueprint equips leaders with the tools to address the causes of stress in their companies.

This book addresses current concerns and instability in the workplace in a refreshing way; it is a flashlight on the organizational skills gaps that are hiding in the minds and offices of today's leaders and employees. Davis does not shy away from addressing popular topics such as artificial intelligence, inclusivity, and outdated leadership skills.

Chapter 6 is a standout, as it advocates building resilience not just for individuals but also for organizations. The author states that building individual skills will never be enough to overcome toxic work environments. The onus is on companies to address behavioral trends that create unhealthy work environments before they begin to affect high-performing and engaged staff.

Lead Well acknowledges how workplace culture and well-being have vastly changed since 2020 and explains how people management can influence a company's ability to thrive. Any leader looking to gain practical insight and tips on improving workplace well-being and organizational effectiveness would benefit from reading this book and applying its recommended mindsets.