The 90th Percentile: An Unconventional Leadership Podcast

Episode 168: Well-Being Is a Business Strategy—Leadership Lessons from Druva

Jul 9, 2025

Shanna Goodell, Head of Learning and Development at Druva, emphasizes that well-being is a leadership imperative and not just a perk. She discusses how personalizing wellness strategies fosters engagement and productivity. Shanna highlights the critical role of self-awareness for leaders and how employee resource groups like Druva's Women’s ERG tackle vital issues such as women's health. Ultimately, she illustrates how creating a supportive and inclusive culture directly impacts employee performance and satisfaction.

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INSIGHT

Normalize and Personalize Well-being

Well-being must be normalized, role modeled, and personalized at work.
Leaders need to create space for unique individual well-being needs and support customizing them.

ANECDOTE

Meditation Space Boosts Focus

A grassroots initiative created a meditation space in the office.
This space helped employees reset during busy days and improve meeting performance.

ADVICE

Lead Yourself to Lead Teams

Leaders should first develop self-awareness to lead effectively.
Shift from directing to coaching, fostering positive relationships to boost well-being.

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Details

In this episode of The 90th Percentile, we explore why wellbeing programs are more than just perks—they are a leadership imperative. Shanna Goodell shares how Druva is shifting the narrative around employee wellness, embedding it into leadership development, and addressing real-life challenges like women’s health in the workplace. From building inclusive spaces to driving engagement through belonging, Shanna offers a powerful perspective on how well-being ignites performance.

You’ll also hear how learning programs that promote self-awareness, coaching, and connection can transform not just culture—but results.

Key Points

1. Well-being must be normalized, modeled, and personalized.
Well-being looks different for everyone. Leaders must create space to talk about it, role model it, and customize support for their teams.

2. Great leadership begins with self-awareness.
Shanna emphasizes that leading others starts with leading yourself—through assessments, reflection, and coaching that build emotional intelligence.

3. Employee resource groups (ERGs) are more than social circles—they drive results.
Druva’s Women’s ERG is tackling hard topics like menstruation, maternity, and menopause—empowering women and improving retention and engagement.

4. Well-being and performance go hand-in-hand.
Engagement, morale, and productivity are all tied to how supported people feel. When people are mentally and emotionally well, they do their best work.

5. Inclusive leadership requires honest self-reflection.
Many leaders are unaware of how their behavior impacts others. Shanna shares how coaching and feedback helped uncover unconscious bias—and change it.

Webinar

Zenger Folkman hosts an exclusive live webinar every month, where you can meet Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman and join in a conversation about their latest research in leadership development. Find out more information and register here.

The post Episode 168: Well-Being Is a Business Strategy—Leadership Lessons from Druva first appeared on ZENGER FOLKMAN.