Hi there. I’m Dr. Bobbi Wegner.

Welcome to The Psychology of Teams and People: Insights from Within. I am a psychologist who lives at the intersection of psychology, business, and technology. I teach organizational psychology at Harvard. I spend a lot of time inside companies across the globe. And,  I am the founder and CEO of Groops. 

Groops bring experts in organizational psychology to help teams deepen cohesion and improve functioning, at scale. AI helps us provide ongoing insights and recommendations - and allows us to see themes across the team, within the organization, and between companies. 

Each message includes (a) noticing and wonderings about everyday psychology at work, (b) a quote to think about, (c) a question to deepen understanding, and (d) something to try. Enjoy! 

Noticing and Wondering

It was the end of the year and everyone was tired and trying to squeeze it all in before the holidays. But, when the VP of Women’s Wellness at Therabody (Amanda Henry) called and asked if I was interested in coming to LA to talk about women’s mental health and wellness with her and the founder of Therabody (Dr. Jason Wersland) to an audience of whole bunch of creators for Meta - of course I said yes.  So, I typed this from Manhattan Beach buzzing after a full day of new connections and insights. 

What I notice is that the younger generations, Millennials and Gen Z, often get criticized as being entitled, overly sensitive, or for having a poor work ethic. But what I saw was a room full of scrappy young women who found a way to both advocate for important causes and also make money doing it. That is hard to criticize. They shared openly about their fear and vulnerabilities and also had the self-awareness to know their strengths. The collective EQ was high.  

The conversation focused on how to improve mental health and wellness to both live healthfully and accomplish big goals. We talked about how health psychologists use the bio-psycho-social lens to assess health and wellness. That means tending to physical wellness (like sleep, eating, exercise, rest), psychological wellness (like mindset, resilience, and emotional regulation), and social wellness (like connection, support, and belonging). It was inspiring to see this group actively reflect on how these areas intersect and influence their personal and professional lives.

What struck me most was their commitment to integrating these principles into their work - not just for themselves, but for their teams and communities. They recognized that prioritizing mental health and wellness isn’t a distraction from success, it’s a foundation for achieving it.

This generation challenges traditional norms (which of course creates resistance from the status quo - that is how systems work), but they are building a future where success is redefined - not just by what we achieve, but by how we feel and thrive along the way.

 I wonder how we can look to them to help us learn and grow in a healthier way. Instead of criticizing their differences, how can we get curious about their insights and challenge ourselves to try a new approach?  

A QUOTE TO THINK ABOUT

"Young people are the architects of the future, and in their vision lies the opportunity for us all to learn anew."

Source: Nelson Mandela, a South African leader and peace icon

A DEEP-ish QUESTION (or Three)

• Individual Wellness: How can a bio-psycho-social approach improve your personal wellness and performance?

• Team Wellness: How can a bio-psycho-social approach improve your team's wellness and performance?

• Reframe Cross-Generational Differences: What lessons from younger generations’ on your team could you learn and grow from?

SOMETHING TO TRY

This week, reflect on your wellness through the bio-psycho-social lens:

• Physical Wellness: Caring for your body through sleep, nutrition, exercise, and rest. What’s one small step you can take this week (e.g., sleep earlier or take a walk)?

• Psychological Wellness: Managing your mindset, emotions, and resilience. What’s one thing you can do this week (e.g., try mindfulness or reframe a stressful thought)?

• Social Wellness: Building connection, support, and belonging. Who can you reach out to this week (e.g., a friend or colleague)?

Pick one area and take a small, actionable step this week.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Kick off the new year with the focus on building a strong team. More information and pricing is here. We have:

• Groops for Teams: a personal team psychologist with a focus on cohesion

• Groops for Leaders: a training program to help leaders increase self-awareness and learn coaching skills to get the best out of their people

• Custom Groops: create your own adventure and we facilitate

Thanks for reading and keep on connecting :) .  

Best,

Bobbi

Bobbi Wegner, Psy.D.
Founder and CEO of Groops​: helping teams feel and function their best
Lecturer at Harvard University in Industrial-Organizational Psychology

If you are curious about the cohesion and health of your team, book a complimentary 30 minute consultation HERE . Shoot me a note to find out more or to submit  a question / problem at work and we will respond anonymously in the newsletter.  info@joingroops.com . 

www.joingroops.com