By Clint Fuqua
Health has been stolen from what was once a lifelong obligation and turned into an industry through wickedly genius marketing.
This ‘theft’ has most everyone believing they can buy health from a shelf in a store or an infomercial at 3 AM. People have been deceived into the notion that a bottle of pills or a 30-day extreme workout program is the answer to what ails them. Businesses have bought into this same lunacy as they purchase expensive trendy corporate wellness programs in hopes of cutting costs and gaining hip young millennial employees.
The real result is higher costs and employees revolting against the added stress and obligation during the work day.
Health is not a thing to be bought or sold in the market. Health is not a logo or a catchy phrase. Health is a way of life that must be embraced and lived through committed daily actions. Healthy companies become that way though better leadership and healthy people become that way through better living. The brand of each company and each person can be built through better health as experienced from them by others.
People only continue to do business with those they know, like, and trust. The best way for this to happen is for you to know, like, and trust yourself. Personal development is more than a going to a big over-hyped weekend event with fire walking and chanting. It is a daily journey of continual development with mentors, instructors, and fellow leaders all helping each other to become better people.
Personal development takes investment in long-term programs and, most importantly, yourself. this is the path to truly knowing who you are and what you can give to the world. Until you really know yourself there is no way to like or trust yourself and that goes double for everyone who meets you. There is brilliance and a special gift in all of us that we should each find for ourselves and help others do the same. This innate branding is better than any dark logo on the outside, as it is a light from the inside that makes everything else shine brighter.
Health care issues dominate the news as things are changing once again with new laws, rules, regulations, and potential costs. The best preventative measure is, and has always been, improved health.
Companies of all sizes have been forced into adopting wellness programs whether employees want them or not and whether they work or not. It started with the bribes of increased tax incentives followed by increased tax penalties for non-compliance. Both are incredibly bad reasons for implementing a program as is just trying to cut healthcare costs. A wellness program should be put in place for the improvement of employees both on the job and in their personal lives.
It should be also added at the favorable request of employees after company leaders have already been seen doing a program successfully. The healthiest companies with the most respected brands are the companies that work with their employees for improvement in all aspects of life. The very culture of the company will show in how customers see the brand after experiencing the full time brand ambassadors, known as employees.
The greatest honor, as well as detriment, to leadership is the obligation to be responsible. Responsibility to hold yourself to a higher standard and the obligation to help others do the same for themselves. Leading from behind can only be done with a whip and a bullhorn in hopes that people in front will go where directed.
Leading from the front means that you must be the first to do things, and show others that things can be done as they follow in your footsteps. The things you want for the people around you must first be accomplished by you. Improved health of your family, friends, and business comes from your improved health.
Improved personal development of your friends, family, and co-workers comes from your personal development. You must rise to the level of excellence that you expect before others ever will. You must also be willing to help them do so if you expect them to follow your lead. Be the first even to the very last.
Action Steps:
- Create a personal growth plan for your company and employees that everyone wants and participates in. The more personal growth everyone experiences, the more business growth a company will experience. This will make for a better customer experience and greater business growth each year.
- Create a wellness plan for your company and employees that everyone wants and takes part in. Healthier employees means a healthier business. The real result is lower costs and a bigger bottom line every year.
- Be the leader and example for others to follow and emulate while encouraging them to become leaders as well. The greatest leaders encourage and create new leaders.
Lead from the front by being healthier, happier and in charge of yourself.
Visit me at www.ClintFuqua.com and contact me with any questions, comments, requests, recommendations, proposals, fan mail, or hate mail at Clint@ClintFuqua.com.
