The Readiness Pact

The instinct to do the right thing, to honour, protect, and nurture those we are responsible for and care about, is at the heart of leadership.

The term?Coalition of the Willing?has surfaced again in political discourse, a reminder that when crises arise, alliances must be formed to confront aggression and uphold sovereignty. Whether in the?Oval Office standoff between Trump and Zelensky?or?European leaders banding together against Russian expansionism, the message is the same;?waiting is not an option when people’s lives and futures are at stake.

But this urgency extends beyond geopolitical battlefields. A different kind of war is being waged, one that is silent, but just as destructive. It’s the slow, creeping erosion of human wellbeing, happening right now in workplaces, communities, and homes.

A quiet crisis with deafening consequences;

The latest findings from the World Economic Forum’s?Thriving Workplaces Report 2025?lay it out plainly;

• More than half of the global workforce is struggling - only 49% of employees worldwide report both good health and no symptoms of burnout.
• Poor employee health costs the global economy up to $11.7 trillion in lost productivity, absenteeism, and presenteeism.
• The biggest losses come from reduced productivity and presenteeism, which account for up to $9 trillion - more than three-quarters of the total economic impact.

This isn’t a niche concern. It’s an?economic and social emergency. Ill-health is robbing people of their vitality and costing businesses billions (trillions collectively) ?in lost productivity. The evidence is clear: investing in proactive health, illness prevention, and raising wellbeing status is neither an indulgence or something to be cast aside; it’s an imperative for quality of life survival, prosperity, and moral leadership.

So the question isn’t whether this matters. Rather, who is willing to lead the change?

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The silent emergency of workforce health;

A sick workforce is a failing economy. Chronic burnout, mental health crises, and stress-related illnesses have reached epidemic levels, yet most organisations still take a?reactive approach, treating the symptoms instead of fixing the cause. Employees are being pushed beyond their limits by?outdated systems?that treat human capital as?disposable.

You and I know that ignoring the problem won’t make it go away. Companies that fail to act will?face consequences, not just in financial losses, but in a?deeper erosion of trust, it’s a failure to care for the very people who power business success.

A new kind of coalition where the willing must lead;

This isn’t about another corporate wellness initiative. It’s about a?fundamental redefinition?of how we value health in business and society. It’s about moving from?reactive firefighting?to proactive prevention.

?A shift this big needs a framework; one that’s adaptable, integrative, and actually works. The following ?Six Vectors?offer that structure. More than ideas, they provide a?lens through which real transformation can happen.

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Nurture: rebuilding the foundation of human flourishing

Nurture is not a soft sentiment, it is the most radical, necessary act of leadership today. The best leaders cultivate environments where people aren’t just surviving but?thriving. This isn’t about adding wellness perks. It’s about?structural change: workplaces that protect mental health, systems that honour human rhythms instead of resisting them, and support that meets?real?needs.

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Virtue in power

The crisis of human wellbeing isn’t accidental - it is the result of choices made at the top of public and private sector organisations, a creeping forward of proxy culture – some might say, it’s the cost of progress. ?Power without virtue breeds exploitation. Gathered hearts and shared values must usher in a new era of leadership where influence is wielded with integrity, transparency, and an unwavering commitment to human dignity. True power does not drain those below, it raises them up.

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Educating and guiding self-knowledge, starting with you and me

We’re not machines, you and I. We are complex beings, influenced by biology, emotions, and environments. The future of work must integrate this truth, providing not just wellness benefits but the tools for employees to?understand?themselves; how to regulate emotions, optimise their health, and take ownership of their personal wellbeing.

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Stop the stupid, ending the systems that harm

We already know what’s damaging people; toxic workplace cultures, relentless overwork, poor nutrition (processed food prevalence), screen addiction, immobility. So why do we keep going? It’s time to?call it out and dismantle it. Burnout isn’t a badge of honour. Productivity at the expense of health isn’t?success, it’s?self-destruction. The systems that no longer serve need calling out and dismantling to make way for sustainable, intelligent ones.

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Create the space for miracles, making transformation possible

Every great shift in history has needed?visionaries, people willing to believe in what others call impossible. Are you one of them? A thriving workforce isn’t a utopian dream, it’s a?necessary reality. When wellbeing is prioritised, creativity surges, innovation flourishes, and human potential?transforms businesses and societies.

Explore the mystery, embracing what we cannot yet see

Science is catching up to what many already know intuitively:?wellbeing isn’t just physical. It’s about?energy, connection, and purpose. The best leaders of the future will be those who?dare to explore these dimensions, drawing from both ancient wisdom and modern technology to create?life-affirming workplaces.

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If the lines weren’t already drawn last year, there is deafening clarity today

The moment is now.?Businesses, governments, you and I, have a choice.

We can continue in inertia, watching burnout claim?more lives, more dreams, more economic potential.

Or they can?step forward, unafraid, into a?new model of leadership—one that prioritises what truly matters.

The?readiness pact?is taking shape … are you one of the willing?

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