Authentic leadership in the new working world

Clare Morin speaks to Jenn Lim, bestselling author and speaker known for her work on happiness and workplace well-being, and Swapnil Prabha, Vice President of Workforce Wellness Solutions at Unum Group focusing on employee benefits and mental health. They discuss topics related to authentic leadership, mental health and workplace well-being. 

Authentic Leadership: Lim emphasizes the importance of authentic leadership in today's working world. She defines authentic leadership as being true to one's authentic self and emphasizes that it involves self-awareness and addressing both strengths and weaknesses. “Just be real and be weird and like everyone's weird in their own way. And why not cherish that and celebrate it, says Lim.” [11:55]

The Greenhouse Model: Lim introduces the "Greenhouse Model," which focuses on first nurturing one's own well-being and values. She says, “I went to more of this metaphor of growth. No matter who we talk to in the world, there's no one that wants to not grow.” Lim emphasizes that authentic leaders should start by grounding themselves and understanding their purpose and values. [16:55]

Tools for Thriving: Lim discusses tools for thriving in the workplace, including fostering psychological safety, creating a sense of belonging, embracing accountability, and building meaningful connections. Lim highlights the importance of aligning individual and organizational values: “So therefore we have a new social contract together.”  [19:35]

Looking Ahead: The discussion concludes with a focus on the future of work. Lim suggests that leaders need to prioritize well-being and encourage teams to find meaning and balance in their work. Prabha emphasizes the importance of shaping company cultures that support mental health and well-being. She encourages leaders to ask for help and hold their partners and solution providers accountable when it comes to employee benefits and mental health support. As Prabha says, “I want to see what are the clinical outcomes? Is my employee population actually getting better?” [26:05]

Featured Speakers 

Jenn Lim 

CEO at Delivering Happiness | Bestselling Author | Global Workplace Expert

Jenn Lim is the bestselling author of Beyond Happiness and has been named one of the world's top 50 keynote speakers. She's had the privilege of leading a company to the INC 5000 fastest growing list, sitting on the global Happiness Council of Work and Well-Being and working with hundreds of companies from Fortune 500 and best places to work to startups and governments. Her mission is both simple and profound to teach businesses how to create workplaces, lead with happiness and humanity that generate more profit, sustain all people at every level of the organization, and share how we can make an impact by being true to our authentic selves.

Swapnil Prabha 

Vice President, Workforce Wellness Solutions — Unum Group

A thought leader in the insurance industry, Swapnil Prabha's work is helping to shape the digital future of employee benefits. She has helped to develop solutions such as Unum Behavioral Health, which addresses the full continuum of mental health for employees from baseline measurement to a complete range of easily accessible resources and therapeutic interventions. She also leads strategic direction and capability priorities for Unum Leave Logic — an industry-leading leave education and planning SaaS solution.