Photo credit: iStockphoto.com (Tetiana Lazunova)
In anticipation of World Mental Health Day on October 10th, we are sharing tips from a recent conversation with Jeff Benton, founder of Paragon Performance Evolution, about prioritizing well-being in the workplace.
Conferences for Women Communications Director: I usually ask people to talk about the personal story that got them into their work. I know yours is a very personal story. Are you comfortable sharing that story?
Jeff Benton, Paragon: Sure. I was always interested in high performance. I was an athlete growing up, and my dad had one of the largest sports marketing companies in the world. That made me interested in what made somebody a high performer. Also, I realized they could be a high performer in one area and be stressed and unhappy in others.
But I also developed coping mechanisms around difficult emotions and wanting to look perfect to the outside world. So, I played the part, and it created more fear, anxiety, anger, and this imposter syndrome. I started to shut down on the weekends to recover and then got back into performance mode.
Eventually, what changed it all is that one day, I had police officers show up at my office, and one said, ‘Mr Benton, we’re sorry to tell you, but your mother has committed suicide.’
At that point, I just hit rock bottom. It was the first time I was forced to go internal, which started this journey. So, I traveled the world and met with brain scientists, therapists, shamans, and monks. I was a seeker looking for internal peace.
One of the things I was introduced to was these techniques right around heart-brain coherence. I did them every day, sometimes twice a day, and I remember just waking up one day and feeling present, joyful, and grateful for the first time in my life.
At that point, I had the epiphany that if I could go from disconnected living–a huge part of my life of pleasing others and how I looked externally–to feeling this deeper level of presence, joy, and gratitude, then anybody could. It was the inspiration to create Paragon and work with leaders. If they knew these techniques, I knew they could make different decisions for themselves, their teams, families, organizations, and communities.
CFW: That is powerful. Thank you for sharing that. To put this in context, we surveyed our community this year and found that health and well-being in the workplace was the top issue for women. Among more than 4,000 women surveyed, 97% said well-being was extremely or very important. But many also said it was hard to talk about at work. How do we change workplace culture to make these conversations more possible?
Benton: Leaders feel as stressed as everyone else. Stress makes people focus on survival, limiting empathy, communication, and problem-solving. That’s why we encourage leaders to participate in our programs; their impact on a team is profound.
When leaders experience these programs, they gain self-awareness and embody the teachings. They often ask, ‘Why aren’t you teaching this to everyone?’ When they’re in a coherent state, they open up beyond their challenges and start seeing their teams differently. Leaders need to embody well-being practices so teams can buy into them meaningfully.
CFW: You’re saying leaders need to establish the conditions for people to feel safe.
Benton: Absolutely. We encourage partners to focus on teaching people to get out of a stress response. A leader’s self-regulating ability is key to high performance and creating team coherence. Self-regulation resets the nervous system and enables individuals to engage with their teams more effectively.
CFW: Here’s another finding from our survey: Approximately 80% of respondents said their employers provided well-being programs, but 60% of those who had access to those programs don’t use them. The top reasons included fear of negative repercussions, perceived negative quality, and a lack of time. How do we tackle that?
Benton: Some companies think a portal video or a meditation room is enough, but these aren’t effective. The most impactful programs involve human interaction, where leaders and team members can be vulnerable. Trust is built in these environments, and that’s where real transformation happens.
During the pandemic, people realized how much they craved human connection. Even employees who initially loved working from home eventually expressed feelings of isolation. This dynamic revealed the importance of in-person human interaction for well-being.
CFW: We’ve talked a bit about what leaders can do. What are some concrete steps for individuals?
Benton: The first thing is to prioritize your well-being. Internal well-being creates your external environment. Simple tools like heart-focused breathing can help. Inhale for five seconds, exhale for five seconds and focus on the area of your heart. This shifts the body into a coherent state, reducing stress and resetting the nervous system.
Also, set an intention for how you want to show up each day. Our brain records the past; without a vision for the future, we fall back into past behaviors.
And at the end of the day, reflect on what went well and what could change. This creates awareness and allows for continuous improvement.
Prioritizing well-being might seem simple, but it’s the foundation for becoming a better partner, parent, or leader. By taking small steps like heart-focused breathing and setting daily intentions, we create lasting changes in our lives and those around us.
