The Cactus Principle: Rethinking Human Performance from the Ground Up

The difference between a workforce that merely survives and one that performs at its peak often comes down to conditions—not capability.

Roman Grubbs, Executive Director of Employee Experience & Analytics at Charles River Labs, discovered this truth while observing something deceptively simple: a pencil cactus on his desk. For years, the plant grew steadily, if unremarkably. Then he moved it to a new window. Better light, same plant. Within weeks, it was thriving—so visibly that you could see the line where growth had suddenly accelerated.

When the environment changes, potential emerges.

Grubbs posed the same question to HR leaders during the 2025 meQ Resilience Awards discussion panel: Are we creating the right conditions for our people to grow?

For this year’s Resilience Award winners, the data says yes—and the impact is profound. GE Aerospace reported a 63% jump in engagement. ABB saw anxiety drop by 32%. Across organizations like IBM, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Citizens, leaders shared measurable gains in resilience, retention, and productivity.

 

Six Approaches, One Shared Truth

Each organization took a different path to human performance, but all embrace a common principle: success comes from cultivating the environment, not just expanding the toolkit.

• ABB started with its managers, recognizing them as the daily architects of culture. “Managers carry a dual load,” said Ahmed Abdel-Khalek, Global Health Advisor at ABB. “They’re expected to deliver results and support their people. Before asking them to support others, we have to support them.” ABB’s manager-first approach drove 22% enrollment and measurable gains in resilience—proof that supporting leaders fuels organizational performance.
• GE Aerospace achieved its 63% engagement lift by expanding its meQ offering and meeting employees where they were in their well-being journeys—aligning programs with readiness, not just availability.
• IBM, recipient of the Global Activation Award, provided resilience training to 280,000 employees worldwide, demonstrating that personalization and scale can coexist when strategy and data are aligned.
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota extended meQ beyond employees to include insured customers—showing how well-being, when embedded in organizational DNA, can ripple far beyond the workforce.
• Citizens focused on manager support, building a foundation of leader resilience that cascaded through teams and reinforced a culture of sustainable performance.

And Roman Grubbs, 2025’s Resilience Champion of the Year, distilled it all into one insight: it’s not the grand gestures that change culture—it’s the daily discipline.

 

From Grand Gestures to Daily Discipline

“I used to think the big initiatives mattered most,” Grubbs reflected. “But in this work, it’s the small things we do—consistently and intentionally—that shape the employee experience.”

That insight reframes how most organizations approach well-being. Too often, we equate action with scale: launching programs, announcing initiatives, and tracking participation. But sustainable human performance isn’t about activity—it’s about alignment.

The most effective leaders treat human performance as an ongoing partnership. They listen. They adjust. They use data not just to measure outcomes, but to shape better conditions—continuously.

Tools, no matter how sophisticated, don’t drive change on their own. It’s how they’re used to deepen understanding and adapt strategy that makes the difference.

When regional managers face distinct challenges, can you meet them where they are? When data reveals what’s working—and what’s not—can you pivot?

That’s where meQ stands apart. It’s more than a well-being platform; it’s a strategic partner in building the right conditions for performance. meQ’s personalized resilience training adapts to individual needs, while its analytics illuminate what’s moving—and where to optimize next.

 

 

Your Next Move

Your workforce has the potential to thrive. The question is: are you creating the conditions that allow that potential to show up?

The six organizations honored at the meQ Resilience Awards prove that human performance can be measured, scaled, and sustained—when you cultivate the right environment.

Talk with our team about how meQ can help you create the conditions for your workforce to flourish. Because sometimes, one small change can make all the difference.