At SYPartners, we’ve been exploring flourishing and its role in the future of work. Last month, we hosted forty luminaries from various fields—business, academia, the arts and tech—for a day of collective inquiry and knowledge-sharing around how to facilitate reorientation, renewal and reconnection for ourselves and others. One powerful activity was a self-assessment for leaders to take stock of their personal flourishing after two long pandemic years.

Then, a little over a week ago, the kyu collective (of which SYPartners is a founding member) held its second annual global internal convening, known as “kyu kin.” Alongside my colleagues Andy Ng and Grace Percy, I hosted a cross-company conversation about personal flourishing—one dimension of flourishing (other dimensions being at the interpersonal, team, organizational and collective or societal levels) that is especially important when the world around us feels like it’s in constant upheaval, with so many of us experiencing a sense of languishing.

One year into my role as the SVP of Learning and Flourishing, I’m creatively inspired by these explorations, and by the energy and ideas of my newly formed, yet already masterful, team. We are now focusing our efforts on designing strategies for flourishing at a companywide scale—a never-before-attempted undertaking, and an incredible investment for SYPartners.

As of late, these provocations, inspirations and conversations have brought a few things front of mind for me:

The relationship between the different dimensions of flourishing

Drawing on a range of scholarly and research traditions (such as psychology, public health, education, philosophy, theology and medicine), it is clear flourishing is not just any one thing—well-being, happiness, self-actualization or sense of purpose. Rather, it’s multifaceted, the amalgamation of many. For example, when defining the concept of flourishing at kyu kin, we had a vibrant discussion about the relationship between flourishing and flow. What is the interconnected system between various dimensions that can shed light on how to maximize, and more deeply understand, flourishing?

The unique conditions for flourishing at different levels

‍Core to SYPartners’ consulting approach is what we call the Greatness Model: a framework for transformation that grows impact from the individual, to teams, to the organization, and ultimately, society—how the organization touches the world. I think about flourishing in similar terms, because it manifests differently at each level, is measured differently, and requires different conditions as well. If we can determine the conditions for flourishing at every level, what might the impact be—not just for individuals, but teams, organizations and even society?

The individual’s role in flourishing

‍Company systems, resources and processes can help create the conditions for flourishing, but just because they’re in place isn’t a guarantee it’ll automatically occur. Flourishing requires active participation and intention. I continue to interrogate the boundaries of the organization, team and individual’s respective interaction and responsibility to flourishing, and how these ultimately amplify, and influence, one another. Where should an organization direct its efforts and resources to supercharge flourishing?