Social
Collaboration, relationships, recognition and belonging.
Whole Health Leadership®
Embed health in leadership, collaboration and everyday work.
Whole Health Leadership® is a leadership and organisational development approach created in the United States. Its six dimensions provide a shared framework for connecting personal health choices with leadership, collaboration and the conditions in which work takes place.
The approach
Six dimensions create a shared frame of reference.
Whole Health Leadership defines Whole Health as the state of our social, intellectual, emotional, physical, environmental and spiritual well-being. It combines personal reflection with shared learning, leadership involvement and practical application.
Six connected dimensions
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02
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View health and work through six connected perspectives.
Intellectual
Achievement and growth, including learning, autonomy, creativity and progress.
Emotional
Feelings and their management, including stress, motivation, confidence and joy.
Physical
Body and care, including energy, movement, nutrition, recovery and medical care.
Environmental
Conditions and access, including working conditions, safety, surroundings and access to nature.
Spiritual
Meaning, values, presence and connection.
The WHL journey
Six steps from awareness to conscious action.
The six official steps move from present-moment awareness through a broader understanding of health to a conscious choice.
Become aware of how you currently experience your health.
Broaden your view of health across six connected dimensions.
Identify strengths and challenges within each dimension.
Explore the internal and external influences shaping your experience.
Understand how these influences, needs and consequences are connected.
Make a conscious decision and draw on a strength to support it.
All Choices Are Health Choices
From insight to working reality
Leadership, team reflection and transfer work together.
Whole Health Leadership is not designed as an isolated health day. It connects personal reflection with shared learning, leadership involvement and practical application.
Direction and role modelling
Leaders create space for appropriate conversations about health and connect reflection with everyday priorities and decisions.
A shared language
Teams view resources, demands and collaboration from a broader perspective.
Practical routines
Insights become agreements and small, reviewable changes in everyday practice.
Case example · Adobe Global Reward
Whole Health Leadership in an international corporate setting.
Adobe Global Reward used WHL from 2020 to 2022 in a multi-phase programme involving approximately 35–50 participants over time, five reflection groups and active leadership involvement through a dedicated leadership group.
reported making more deliberate time for self-care.
felt more confident in their ability to positively influence their health and well-being.
reported a clearer understanding of the connection between personal health and effectiveness at work.
reported a stronger sense of belonging at work.
These figures are based on participant self-reports from this specific programme context and do not constitute a general effectiveness claim.
WHL entry and pilot formats for German organisations
Pilot Whole Health Leadership in Germany.
For the German market, Whole Health Leadership is currently offered through the following entry and pilot formats. These formats are based on the WHL framework and adapted to the respective organisational context.
WHL Compass
A focused introduction to the six dimensions and the first areas for action.
WHL Sprint
Facilitated work on a prioritised health, leadership or collaboration topic across several sessions.
WHL Pilot Programme
A multi-month learning, reflection and transfer programme for a clearly defined target group.
International foundation · implementation in Germany
Developed in the United States. Adapted for German organisations.
Patrick J. Smith supports the introduction of Whole Health Leadership in Germany as a Workplace Psychologist (M.Sc.), German-qualified Occupational Safety Specialist and certified WHL Consultant. Language and delivery are adapted to the target group and organisational context without changing the core of the WHL approach.
Experience Whole Health Leadership
Which entry point fits your organisation?
In an introductory call, we identify which format fits your audience, context and desired depth of implementation. The brief reflection can be used for personal preparation if helpful.