By Richard Mifsud
At FinanceMalta’s annual conference, coach Daphne Grech Cumbo calls on organisations to adopt practical wellbeing measures that boost productivity and decision-making.
“It is encouraging to see leading industries recognising that wellbeing is a fundamental driver of high performance. The finance sector is often associated with demanding workloads, tight deadlines, and long hours, where wellbeing has not always been treated as a priority,” said Daphne Grech Cumbo, Coach and Trainer at Up Your Level, during her introduction to a well-attended presentation for business leaders at the Finance Malta conference, Redefining Finance: A Quality-Driven Future for Malta.
Grech Cumbo noted that it was heartening to see so many participants, most of them leaders, actively engaging with the session.
She added that it was even more encouraging to witness wellness being taken seriously at a local level, to the point that the conference organisers dedicated time to a wellbeing-focused session within an already packed agenda. “Kudos to them,” she remarked.
Understanding Pressure and Unlocking “Full Power Mode”
She emphasised that humans can only absorb so much pressure. Without the right systems in place, and as the pace of life continues to accelerate, people inevitably risk burnout, yet the world will not slow down.
Evidence shows that leaders have enormous untapped potential but unlocking it requires operating at what she calls “full power mode.”
This is where wellbeing becomes essential.
It begins with viewing ourselves holistically not only as professionals, but as individuals who juggle multiple roles, including the responsibility to care for our own health. For this to happen, people’s basic foundational needs must be met.
Adequate rest, proper nutrition, mental stimulation, and regular physical maintenance create a solid base. With these in place, individuals make smarter decisions, maintain better moods, and deliver higher productivity.
Yet, as Grech Cumbo pointed out, many still question whether investing in wellbeing is worth it.
Too often, people justify shortcuts sacrificing sleep, movement, or mindful pauses in favour of additional workloads and commitments. While this may work temporarily, it inevitably carries an opportunity cost. Increasingly, businesses are realising this impact.
Human Value in an AI-Driven World
“In a world increasingly driven by AI, the most sustainable value people bring is their humanity,” she said. “Our bodies power our minds, and our minds can achieve remarkable things when supported by the right conditions.”
When leaders aim to achieve more, they frequently turn to new systems, technologies, or resources. However, Grech Cumbo argues that the first step should be evaluating what they already have and identifying what they genuinely need to build a roadmap that is both thorough and profitable.
Wellbeing, she explained, is a broad concept that touches different areas for each individual and organisation.
A focused approach is the best place to start, one that encourages self-awareness, awareness of others, and a deeper understanding of how people perform at their best. From there, individuals and companies can explore tools that support personal and professional goals, taking into account identity, lifestyle, and work culture.
Grech Cumbo also highlighted examples of global business leaders such as Richard Branson (Virgin), Tim Cook (Apple), Satya Nadella (Microsoft), and Marc Benioff (Salesforce), who embrace wellbeing as a core driver of their success and integrate it into the culture of their organisations, each in their own way.
She concluded by noting that value is not always measurable through traditional business metrics. Wellbeing often falls into this trap and risks being undervalued, despite the profound impact it has on businesses and the people who power them.
