Summit Session Spotlight: Strategies for Building Thriving Teams

In today’s fast-paced working environment, many people are running on fumes, struggling to show up as their best selves. Brittany Badger Gleed, Ph.D., MCHES, and Joseph Gleed, LCSW, CCTP, spoke at this year’s Annual Wellness Summit and explained how burnout, disengagement, and constant urgency have become so normalized that they are nearly unavoidable. The impact is detrimental to performance, resilience, and overall well-being. So, what keeps us from thriving?

Brittany and Joseph shared the following factors that keep us from truly flourishing.

• The “always on” mentality
• Lack of autonomy
• Misaligned purpose or values
• No positive reinforcement
• Poor change management
• Constant urgency
• Compromised trust, safety, and belonging

Themes of Thriving Teams

Brittany and Joseph further shared that thriving cultures don’t come from eliminating stress or discomfort. They come from leaders who reframe challenges as opportunities to build trust, deepen connection, and strengthen support so their teams can move through difficulties together. They cultivate:

• Psychological safety
• Shared purpose
• Flexibility with accountability
• Meaningful recognition
• A sense of belonging
• Opportunities for growth
• Truth and connection.

By leaning into discomfort and showing courage in moments of fear, true growth becomes possible, and that’s where resilience is built. Thriving teams don’t deny this process; they embrace it.

The FLEX Model

Leaders can play a critical role in shaping the environments around them. The FLEX Model was shared as a framework to help leaders understand how to navigate and overcome challenges so that teams can truly thrive.

• F—Focus Attention: Slow down, find a sense of grounding, and create clarity in the noise.
• L—Lean Into Values: Clarify and align values at the personal, team, and organizational levels, and use values as a compass during stress and change to guide behaviors.
• E—Embrace Discomfort: See discomfort as a signal for growth. Embrace it to build resilience, innovation, and adaptability.
• X—Execute Flexibility: Act without reacting, while adapting to what’s needed in the moment and keeping the long-term mission in sight.
  

To illustrate the FLEX Model in action, the following scenario demonstrates how it can guide a team through challenging circumstances.

A team is approaching a tight deadline, and stress levels are high. The leader applies strategies from the FLEX Model to support the team, helping them stay focused, resilient, and flexible.

• F—Focus Attention: The leader pauses to identify the top priorities for the team to focus on, grounding them to stay organized and focused. The leader might implement a mindful minute activity to allow them to be truly thoughtful in their approach.
• L—Lean Into Values: The leader reminds the team of shared values, using these as a guide when making tough decisions.
• E—Embrace Discomfort: When pressure is high, the leader acknowledges the stress, creating space for the team to openly discuss and share their concerns. This encourages dialogue and honesty, while the leader reassures the team that their feelings are normal and understandable.
• X—Execute Flexibility: The leader listens and acknowledges the team’s needs. They remain calm and collaborate with the team to find solutions, adjusting workflows, reallocating tasks, and shifting timelines where possible to help the team successfully meet their deadline.

Culture shifts don’t happen overnight. Thriving teams are built steadily, as clarity, safety, purpose, and trust develop over time, in ways that support growth. By applying FLEX strategies, small shifts compound into lasting impact, creating teams that don’t just survive, but truly thrive.

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  Ashton DeMoss

  Wellness Content and Information Specialist

  IFEBP

  As a Wellness Content and Information Specialist at the Wellness Alliance, Ashton is passionate about supporting employee well-being and advancing workplace wellness initiatives. With over 12 years of experience as a certified health coach, Ashton has worked extensively in the worksite wellness sector, empowering individuals and organizations to prioritize health and create sustainable wellness strategies. Outside of work, she enjoys group exercise classes and participating in a monthly book club to nurture both her physical and mental well-being.