The Beautiful Intersection of Physical Health, Organizational Health, and Growth Mindset (TPL Insights #233).

By Rob Andrews with paraphrased content from Jeff Haden’s article in Inc. News July 28th, 2024

At the intersection of peak organizational performance and awesome company cultures lies a profound analogy: just like staying fit, feeling great, and living longer hinges on the basics—eating well, keeping active, and staying sharp—organizational health thrives on solid frameworks and battle-tested practices. Here at our firm, after studying top-performing companies across various fields for over 12 years, we've engineered tools that optimize organizational health. While our work revolves around 9 principles, we always start with mindset.

In Jeff Haden’s article, he speaks of an ever-increasing trend among young and old alike: the quest for a longer, healthier life. This pursuit has snagged some of the biggest names in tech. Visionaries like Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Peter Thiel, and Jeff Bezos are diving into the longevity market, betting on everything from red-light therapy to sophisticated DNA tests.

While some longevity solutions promise the moon, let's not get carried away. Most of these lack solid scientific evidence. For instance, while ice baths are trendy, their link to longer life spans is about as firm as a slushie. And while DNA tests estimating biological age are fascinating, they're still a bit like a magic eight ball—shaking it for answers but not always getting a clear response. As Harvard Medical School's William Hahn wryly notes, "Just because it sounds good doesn't mean it works."

Living longer and feeling better isn't just about high-tech gizmos. It's about nailing the basics: healthy food, staying active, and making smart lifestyle choices. Take olive oil, for example—a recent study involving 2.7 million people found that two tablespoons a day can slash heart disease risks by 15% and heart disease-related deaths by 23%. Pair that with a Mediterranean diet full of fish and veggies, and you might just outlast your 401(k).

It's not all kale and treadmills either. New studies underscore the critically important role of our mindsets and social connections in longevity. Optimistic folks tend to make healthier choices, set clearer goals, and generally live longer and feel better. And strong social ties? They're like life's safety net, boosting survival rates by a cool 50%, according to PLOS Medicine.

What’s medical fact is that optimism isn’t just genetic luck. We can boost our sunny outlooks through practices like affirmations, visualization, hanging out with upbeat people, and learning how to overwrite the old negative tapes that play in our minds, which are in many cases, well, a load of crap. Adopting a growth mindset: believing we can evolve our skills and smarts, and staying in the solution rather than the problem can also add a few long and enjoyable chapters to our life stories.

So, while tech bigwigs are funneling cash into futuristic health gadgets, the rest of us might find the path to a longer, healthier life refreshingly low-tech. A balanced diet, staying active, nurturing friendships, and keeping a sunny disposition may lack the flash of the latest gadgets, but they deliver real, proven benefits.

As we navigate the whirlwind of modern business, it's clear that nurturing organizational health mirrors the quest for physical well-being. It's about investing in the basics, using smart diagnostics, and building a culture that thrives under pressure. Just as focusing on physical health ensures a longer and more vital life, prioritizing organizational health sets the stage for an engaged workforce, sustained growth, resilience during tough times, and maximum value for stakeholders.

As we’ve learned in recent months, an organizational health index (OHI) can have dramatic positive effects on discretionary effort and EBITDA in very short order. Give us a shout and let’s talk.