Sharon Smyth

> Express checkoutGiven the ongoing challenges in healthcare, examining the venerable concept of eudaimonia (a sense of flourishing in one’s purpose) and the related science of employee engagement may be warranted. We present a case example that illustrates how healthcare leadership can incorporate Aristotle’s philosophy of eudaimonia and elements of Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy (a therapeutic approach that helps people find personal meaning in life) into practice. We present a case example and briefly review the literature supporting the development of healthcare leadership practices that leverage qualitative engagement to foster career longevity and employee fulfilment. One strategy for leadership would be to revisit these timeless concepts to better recognise individual intrinsic motivations of healthcare professionals and promote team effectiveness.Healthcare worldwide is facing a crisis on several fronts.1 2 One significant issue is the retention of appropriately trained healthcare workers. Concerns about healthcare worker shortages are typical as policymakers try to stem healthcare workforce attrition.3 4 Despite increased attention to healthcare employee retention, demoralization among healthcare workers persists.5 Given the extraordinary challenges and stresses present in healthcare, it may be time to revisit previously described time-honoured concepts to improve healthcare worker engagement. In this review, we discuss the venerable concepts of eudaimonia and logotherapy in the context of the emerging literature on qualitative engagement as a means to cultivate resilience among healthcare workers and promote healthcare excellence.6 7The quest for wellness and meaning may be as old as humanity. In his acclaimed book, The Fifth Beginning , R. Kelly, the eminent archaeologist, describes five key evolutionary steps (or beginnings) humanity has made over time. He details the first step as occurring about 1.5 million years ago when human ancestors first adopted the use of tools. The second beginning occurred around 200 000 years ago—relatively recent in human evolutionary …