Get Ready for the Well Festival
That question is at the heart of what we do in the Well section. And on May 7, the first-ever Well Festival will bring that mission to live conversations with some of the most thoughtful minds in health, science and wellness.
Times journalists will interview a lineup of influential doctors, psychologists, relationship experts, athletes, celebrities, academics, chefs, podcasters and best-selling authors.
A livestream will be available for Times subscribers. Sign up for access and you will receive an email link to the video feed on the morning of the event.
The festival will include:
Our reporters and editors will host these conversations, including some of the people behind Well bylines — like Jancee Dunn, Dani Blum and Lisa Miller. They'll be joined by colleagues from around the The Times, including the food reporter Kim Severson, the national politics reporter Astead Herndon and Susan Dominus from The New York Times Magazine.
Sign up for access to the livestream now, and read more about the Well Festival.
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Harvard Business Review
3 hours ago
- Harvard Business Review
How to Successfully Drive Change When Everything Is Uncertain
Traditional change management advice emphasizes gradual tactics like pursuing 'small wins,' building coalitions, and pitching pilots that require minimal investment. In stable times, these approaches have been shown to build momentum and buy-in from stakeholders and employees alike, softening the rigid status quo. But in turbulent times—in a crisis or when market upheaval is under way, for example—leaders who follow gradual change tactics risk underperformance. In our research and experience working with organizations, we've observed that when tumult begins, there is a brief window—a temporary loosening of red tape and resistance—when change is actually easier, if leaders go about it well. For example, during the first months of Covid in 2020, one of us (Julia) and her colleague at Yale School of Management, Elisabeth Yang, were studying the difficulties facing hospital managers and their staffs. But these managers surprised us by reporting that there were silver linings to the crisis: Operational changes they had wanted to institute for years were suddenly being approved, such as a streamlined process to batch orders and labs, hand-held ultrasounds for patient exams, and the addition of a lead nurse role to support less-experienced nursing staff. While change can be easier amid disruption, though, it is by no means guaranteed. Organizational scholarship suggests that under threat, organizations are at least as likely to grow rigid as to adapt. To take advantage of such moments to promote the changes they want to see, leaders need to be proactive and opportunistic. The adage 'never waste a good crisis' is commonplace but often forgotten. Sometimes this is because leaders fear change, are distracted, or don't want to overwhelm their employees further during a time of upheaval. We have seen this in executive teams facing crises, among frontline managers during the pandemic and in multi-business companies during the financial crisis of 2008. But making the effort isn't all—change leaders also need to deploy different tactics during these times of turbulence. We've noticed a pattern in the successful change-leadership approaches taken by the hospital managers Julia and her colleague studied during Covid, and by the leadership teams that Michaela interviewed during the same period. These successful leaders of change identified shovel-ready ideas and reframed them to address an urgent need, moved fast, and thought big. We are living at a time in which crises and dramatic changes in technology, health and natural disasters, the geopolitical sphere, and elsewhere occur with alarming frequency. For those looking to drive change amid such turbulence—whether they need to get their people on board, gain approval from more-senior leaders, or influence their partners—we'll describe how these approaches work in more detail. But first we'll explain why we believe this approach has particular value in turbulent contexts. Why It's Easier to Drive Change Amid Disruption Decades of research by USC's Wendy Wood and her colleagues finds that times of major change present the best opportunities to make changes that stick on the personal front. The best time to quit smoking for good, for instance, is during other major life changes, such as moving to a new city or getting married or divorced. That's because people are most receptive to breaking and forming new habits when everything around them is already changing. The environment that supported old habits is upended. There is space for new habits to form. Other research suggests that a similar logic holds for organizations. In turbulent market environments, inertia, red tape, and resistance are suddenly diminished by the force of external demands. Old routines can change and greenlighting can come more easily to novel ideas, especially if they solve immediate problems. Colleagues can be more open to changing how they work when other aspects of their work are changing too. When events upend organizational stasis in a way that is widely recognized—if people are talking about 'a crisis,' work being 'upended,' or 'unprecedented times'—that's when the time is ripe to drive other changes. Here's how to do it. Select the Right Opportunity and Reframe It When the roof unexpectedly collapsed at the historic B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore in 2003, damaging many artifacts and yielding a rebuild estimate higher than insurance was willing to pay, the director of the museum didn't just call a contractor to fix it: He recognized a propitious opportunity to gain buy-in to change the identity of the museum. He had long desired to transform it from a sleepy, financially struggling institution visited primarily by school children during field trips to a major attraction offering rides, expanded family-oriented programming and accommodations, and a venue for large-scale events. But he had encountered resistance to these ideas in the past, especially from his staff of elite curators who had sought to maintain the organization's focus on historical artifact preservation. When the roof collapsed, though, he reframed his vision as a response to the crisis at hand. An analysis of this case by Rotman School of Management faculty Marlys Christianson and her colleagues demonstrated how the director was able to gain staff support by showing how his vision would secure the museum's financial standing long term and avoid closing permanently despite the damage. The tactic here is idea selection and opportunistic framing: First, selecting a shovel-ready idea—perhaps one that has been stalled, or one that repurposes dormant technologies. The idea needs to be well-planned out and ready for strong execution. A cautionary tale: In Julia's and her colleagues' study during Covid, the physician leaders in a flagship emergency department saw an opportunity to address the longstanding problem of patients awaiting beds crowding the hallways. The physicians asked for more space, making the case that it would improve social distancing. Their request was rapidly granted, but the physicians did not have a ready plan to use it nor had they coordinated with nursing leadership about staffing or supplies, so the space was underutilized and soon taken away. In contrast, two years later, the department unexpectedly failed a state audit for the same issue; during this crisis, physician leadership was ready with a better-laid plan and agreements with nursing that resulted in the rapid and successful construction of permanent additional space. Once you've chosen the right idea, reframe it to show how it both addresses an immediate problem arising from the moment of turbulence and contributes long-term value to the organization as the B&O director did. Move Fast Speed matters in turbulent times; the window of opportunity to spot a shift and act accordingly is only open briefly. The executives Michaela worked with during and after Covid were able to actively pivot their organizational strategies as the policy and regulatory environment loosened for about 12–18 months, while the crisis passed by those who reported they were 'too busy managing day-to-day chaos' or just awaiting a 'return to a sense of normalcy' during that time. In Julia and her colleague's Covid study with frontline managers and professionals proposing mostly operational changes, the window of opportunity was even shorter—about six weeks from the advent of Covid, from mid-March to the end of April of 2020. After that, leadership was less receptive to new ideas, and staff were no longer as willing to dramatically change their behavior; inertia and resistance to altering the status quo had returned. Seizing windows of opportunity requires being scrappy, making do with what you have, and mobilizing your team toward fast action, especially if that is not their norm. For example, one executive team that Michaela observed was able to launch a telehealth service line in less than a year after the pandemic started. This idea had been entertained and debated for some time, but by jumping on it early—within months—in the turmoil of the pandemic, they were able to push through indecision and concerns, especially among employees who had been resistant to altering their daily work routines. Within two years, this team was heralded throughout the region as a leading innovator in this virtual service, and competitors struggled to catch up. Moving fast can carry risk, of course; if you've selected a poorly considered idea and it fails, that can be even worse during times of tumult than doing nothing at all. Opportunistic change is best suited for wins you feel confident about (the operational change that you know would enhance your team's workflow, the technology that is a pain to adopt but a clear improvement, etc.). That's yet another reason to focus on shovel-ready ideas. Go Bigger When organizations are stuck in the status quo, small tests of change such as pilot projects can build momentum, minimize risk, and, through learning, help shape an idea—whether it's a new product, process, or approach. These are good reasons to act in small ways. In turbulent times, the calculus is different. Pilot projects can doom change agents to miss precious moments when resources are briefly available. They can waste time generating data for decisions that in the moment are already obvious. For example, an operations manager at a top U.S. hospital in Julia and her colleagues's study saw that the Covid pandemic offered an opportunity to finally reduce waste by centralizing their supply management while curbing Covid's spread. Dutifully following the change management tactics she had learned in business school, she asked for a costless pilot to demonstrate proof of concept. When the pilot was complete months later, it pointed to certain success for a broader program. But by that time, there was a capital expenditure freeze throughout the organization, and it could no longer be pursued. For the B&O Railroad, going big after its roof collapsed meant more than tripling its initial fundraising goal (which the team then met). The chief operating officer recounted: 'We said, 'If we're going to have to be closed for two years anyway, because it's going to take that long to finish the [roof]…This is our opportunity to raise some more money, change the campus, do all these dreams that we all had.…Instead of a $3 million fundraising effort, we did a $10 million fundraising effort and we got it done.' What going bigger means for you will depend on the usual scale of your team's work. For frontline teams, this could mean asking your boss for full funding to implement a project rather than asking for a pilot. For leadership teams, it might mean doubling a target or making a substantial infrastructure change that has been put off for years. Either way, going bigger doesn't mean throwing caution to the wind and taking on major risk without a plan. It means recognizing that such moments bring considerable risk by their nature but sometimes require organizations to act differently. This requires investment and, sometimes, bigger bets on new ideas. As management thinker Peter Drucker said, 'The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence itself, but to act with yesterday's logic.' Being an opportunistic change leader The studies and stories behind these tactics don't prove that opportunistic change is always good. Pursuing change opportunistically is by no means a guarantee of success. And classic change management frameworks such as Kotter's eight steps still offer great guidance for leaders. Certainly crafting and communicating a vision for change, building coalitions of supportive stakeholders, and engaging in 'small win' pilot projects can be powerful ways to build buy-in. But for now, as we face today's volatile and uncertain world, we can say with confidence that there is something different about how change happens during turbulent times, and that more-opportunistic tactics are a vital addition to the leader's toolkit.
Associated Press
6 hours ago
- Associated Press
Experion Developers Achieves Prestigious WELL for Residential Precertification for Three Iconic Projects
NEW DELHI and NEW YORK, August 19, 2025 /3BL/ - Experion Developers, a leading residential real estate company in India, and the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the global authority for advancing health in buildings, organizations and communities, announced today that three of Experion's flagship residential complexes have achieved the precertified WELL Residence designation awarded through IWBI's WELL for residential program. This precertification for nearly 1,000 residences marks a major milestone of Experion's progress in delivering healthier and more resilient homes in India. By achieving WELL for residential precertification for Elements in Sector 45, Noida, The Trillion in Sector 48, Gurugram, and One42 in Sector 42, Gurugram, Experion Developers became the first real estate developer in India to receive this prestigious designation, reinforcing its leadership in creating future-forward living experiences. This milestone signifies Experion's championship in designing homes that are not only aesthetically appealing but also scientifically aligned with global standards on buildings advancing health and well-being. Upon construction completion and passing third-party verification of the WELL strategies implemented, a precertified WELL for residential project will achieve certified WELL Residence status. 'Receiving WELL for residential precertification is a proud moment for us,' said B K Malagi, Vice Chairman, Experion Developers. 'This recognition under the global WELL program reinforces our commitment to building homes that go beyond aesthetics and luxury to truly support the well-being of our residents. It reflects our belief that homes should be places of comfort, health, and vitality.' The WELL for residential program is a globally recognized evidence-based, third-party verified framework developed to transform the way homes are designed, built and maintained to support resident health and well-being. It evaluates how health-focused design, operations, and behaviors within the home can enhance human well-being. It covers critical aspects like indoor air and water quality, natural lighting, access to fitness and green spaces, and overall strategies promoting physical and mental well-being. 'As global demand for healthier, more resilient homes continues to grow, creating spaces that actively support well-being has never been more important,' said Prateek Khanna, IWBI Chief Operating Officer. 'We applaud Experion's leadership in putting resident health first and setting a strong example for healthier homes in India.' As a leading developer in India, Experion prioritizes wellness not as a trend, but as a foundational design principle. Each pre-certified residence integrates WELL features that support healthier lifestyles including: Experion Elements, The Trillion, and One42 are designed with a strong emphasis on environmental and human health. Experion designed these residences to feature generous green spaces, abundant natural daylight, active lifestyle zones, and an overall infrastructure that promotes physical activity, restfulness, and emotional balance. At a time when homebuyers are increasingly prioritizing health, safety, and sustainability, Experion Developers is setting a new benchmark in the Indian real estate sector. With this precertification, the company is not only on the path to achieving full WELL Residence status for its projects, but also leading the charge toward responsible, human-centric achievement reaffirms Experion's vision of transforming India's residential landscape by designing homes that empower residents to live well physically, mentally, and emotionally. Launched in 2024, the WELL for residential program seeks to provide a solution that helps transform the global residential market and ensure that everyone, no matter their background, has access to a home that enhances their health and enables them to make healthier decisions. It is part of IWBI's WELL ecosystem that comprises WELL Certification under the WELL Building Standard, a library of building and organizational strategies focused on health, the WELL Health-Safety Rating, WELL Performance Rating, WELL Equity Rating, WELL Coworking Rating and certification under the WELL Community Standard. WELL's holistic, evidence-based approach has provided a roadmap for organizations to promote human and social capital performance and enhance their ESG strategy. As a result, thousands of organizations including nearly 30% of Global and Fortune 500 companies across nearly 140 countries have adopted WELL strategies in nearly 100,000 commercial and residential locations totalling nearly six billion square feet of space. About Experion DevelopersExperion Developers is a luxury real estate company in India and a wholly owned subsidiary of Experion Holdings Pte. Ltd., Singapore. Backed by 100% FDI, Experion Developers is committed to delivering world class residential, commercial, and mixed-use. Experion Developers is part of the AT Capital Group, a globally diversified business group headquartered in Singapore, with a strong focus on high-growth sectors such as Real Estate, Renewable Energy, Private & Structured Credit, and Public Markets across India, the GCC, Europe, and the United India, the group also operates Juniper Green Energy, a leading Independent Power Producer (IPP) delivering clean and sustainable energy solutions, and Experion Capital, an emerging NBFC specialising in real estate and infrastructure financing. About International WELL Building InstituteThe International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the global authority for transforming health and well-being in buildings, organizations and communities. In pursuit of its public-health mission, IWBI mobilizes its community through the development and administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL), WELL for residential, WELL Community Standard, its WELL ratings and management of the WELL AP credential. IWBI also translates research into practice, develops educational resources and advocates for policies that promote people-first places for everyone, everywhere. More information on WELL can be found WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL EP, WELL Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Performance Rated, WELL Equity Rated, WELL Equity, WELL Coworking Rated, WELL Residence, Works with WELL, WELL and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute pbc in the United States and other countries. The Trillion:Project: THE TRILLION, Sector 48, GurugramRC/REP/HARERA/GGM/911/643/2025/14 Experion Elements:RERA Registered Project Name: Experion ElementsPhase-1 RERA Regn. No. UPRERAPRJ120027/04/2024Phase-2 RERA Regn. No. UPRERAPRJ953234/04/2024 | Collection Bank Account Number: 927322903 (DBS Bank Ltd.) One42:Project: One42, Golf Course RoadRC/REP/HARERA/GGM/893/625/2024/120 Media contactExperion Developers: IWBI: [email protected] View original content here. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from International WELL Building Institute (IWBI)
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Los Angeles Times
Presenting Image Issue 36: Time
The first piece I ever wrote for Image was about my love of hats. It's a love I trace to my cotton, wide-brimmed hat that I wore when I was 6, probably from the Gap, that had a large sunflower beaming from my forehead. In photos, when I was wearing it, I always seemed happier. I can think of various beloved accessories that I've owned through time. In middle school, dangly earrings defined me — hoop earrings especially (gold ones, silver ones, ones with white hearts hanging from them). I felt sexier because of them. Then there was the 'evil ring': carved from metal, it rose from my index finger like a temple and opened at the top like a box, the kind of thing people usually use to store, let's say, valuables (even if I had snorted drugs, there were holes in the base of the ring, so it wasn't practical). It was the first thing I bought upon moving to New York City for college, manifesting some edgier version of myself. An accessory is an opportunity for fantasy, for gently trying on a new vibe or look — it's a suggestion, an accent, a little risk. This was especially true for me when I was coming of age. But in truth, I feel like I've never stopped coming of age. Aren't we always stepping into new phases and roles in life? My latest experiment has been a pair of plastic, exaggerated cat-eye sunglasses, striped in rainbow colors. My partner got them for me for $5 from a neighbor's garage sale. When he gave them to me, I placed them on the dresser by the doorway, so that the next time I went out for a walk I ended up grabbing them (gotta protect my genetically predisposed macular degeneration!). I hadn't seen what they actually looked like on me until I caught a reflection of myself in a car window, and thought I looked insane. A block later, I received an enthusiastic compliment from a stranger — I love your sunglasses! — that surprised and encouraged me. I continued to wear them, fueled by compliments (on average multiple in one outing), until the sunglasses that I initially found too ridiculous to wear became a part of me. Just a few months ago, I made my friends go back into Disneyland's hellscape, after we had already exited the park, when I realized I'd left the rainbow sunglasses at Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin. This issue explores accessories as a form of time travel, whether through your grandmother's jewelry collection or a night out dancing. For many, accessories are a means to reinvention and stepping into a new self — a truer one. They tap into different versions of ourselves; they help break them open. Together they form a colorful timeline of what it feels like to keep changing and growing up. Elisa Wouk Almino Editor in Chief Image lettering by Zoe Zhou For The Times Behind shades and a moniker, Princess Gollum bridges the gap between her two selves A decade ago, L.A.-based artist Josephine Lee took on the moniker Princess Gollum. The online alias helps the model push her looks to the extreme, while keeping her grounded in her everyday life. Read the story Meet the new Sudan Archives. She is transcendent and disarmingly authentic Basking in a post-breakup glow, Sudan has recorded an album that sounds as carefree and earnest as the new way of life she's cultivating. Read the story My grandmother taught me that jewelry is the ultimate form of reinvention People seem to think that clothing is the best representation of our personalities, of who we want to be. But it's actually the jewelry we wear that most often speaks to who we think we are. Read the story Issue 36: Time Order now Speaker freaker: Transcend time on the dance floor Emerging from the warehouse fog in full vintage designer. Read the story Accessories are opportunities for experimentation and self-expression. Takes notes from stylist Kaamilah Thomas Thomas, a personal stylist to singer Foushée, pulls out her 7 favorite accessories from her closet — each worth its own story. Read the story A morning with Takako Yamaguchi, the L.A. artist we should've already known At 72, the artist is having her first institutional show at MOCA, and she's having the most fun she's ever had. Read the story An L.A. Craftsman home channels 'In the Mood for Love' and the art of the everyday 'I almost see the role of an architect as a kind of director: behind the scenes, setting up the sets and allowing life to unfold within these spaces.' Read the story Is it okay if your partner still follows their ex on social media? Here are some questions to think through There's no black-and-white answer to this dilemma. Because, to put it bluntly, some people cannot be trusted to follow (or be connected to) their exes. Read the story From a Fendi It Bag to Frank Ocean's Homer bracelet, 15 accessories that will carry a conversation Our curation of must-have accessories this August. Read the story The hottest fashion and art happenings for an endless L.A. summer From bag drops to flip-flops, embrace August with these exhibitions, openings and releases. Read the story
