Brevard, North Carolina answered the question, “What is the price of poor well-being?” by investing in the work to make a lifestyle change for the entire community. Much like a pebble tossed into a pond causing ripples, a small group of leaders including Lex Green, Mark Burrows, Sarah Hankey, Tammy Hopkins, and CEO of Gaia Herbs Jim Geikie transformed people, organizations, and entire regions.
What are the requirements for well-being and health? A combination of attitudes—having conviction, avoiding the initially easy path of status quo, and most importantly, imagining a better future—are common to successful ventures in well-being.
Recently, a leading natural herbal company, Gaia Herbs, earned Blue Zones Project worksite approval. CEO Jim Geikie shared the congruence of missions, namely, getting well, staying well, being earth friendly, embracing ethical behavior, supporting people, planet, and profit to facilitate synergy. Everyone, not just investors, benefitted from transformation. Gaia Herbs had a head start with the Founder’s vision in 1987 and a move to western North Carolina in 1995. They were ahead of the current national interest in well-being and health.
Another serious question was raised by Mr. Geikie during a recent conversation, “Will our food system bankrupt our nation?” Currently, Americans suffer from the second highest rate of obesity in the world. (Nauru, the third smallest nation in the world, is fatter.) About seventy-four percent of Americans are currently overweight. Our country spends $147 billion a year to treat obesity, $116 billion to treat diabetes, and hundreds of billions more on cardiovascular disease therapies. The many types of cancer that have been linked to the so-called “Western diet” that accounts for billions more, according to a recent New York Times editorial.
Lex Green, President of Pisgah Health Foundation, astutely observed the importance of a positive culture in the workplace. Individuals take their good spirits home to share with spouses and children. Subsequently, attitudes reverberate in schools, neighborhoods, other businesses, faith-based organizations, and many other entities. Entire communities can be pollinated with good cheer. The echo or multiplying effect is powerful for creating well-being.
Additionally, according to a recent HBR article we spend about a third of our waking hours with co-workers, not family. Thus, company culture with deepening relations among colleagues becomes essential for well-being and health. Three (right tribe, family first, and faith-based organizations) of nine Blue Zones Project principles emphasize human relations. Thus, our colleagues contribute mightily to our well-being. As smart and conscientious companies improve working environments, everyone benefits—teammates, investors, customers, and leaders.
Thus, deepening relationships among Gaia Herbs 280 teammates commendable culture adds to well-being and health. Most likely engagement, satisfaction, recruitment, and retention also thrive. Nearby organizations and surrounding communities also benefit resulting in a virtuous cycle. Sharing this success with others is a natural next step. Currently over 5,000 organizations, 71 communities, and 4+ million folks have benefited with many more to come.
Just admiring a known problem exacerbates frustration. Acting now, copying best practices, and receiving timely feedback is the start to a better future. Brevard is two plus years into success with objective metrics.
Looking forward, sharing success, and stimulating new ambitions of what is possible can save both our food system and health industry from bankruptcy. Healthy and well people consume far fewer resources while becoming more productive.
The time to transform is now.