How Steven Langer of Well by Design is Paving the New Way Forward for Work-Life Coherence
“What we’re doing isn’t working. We need a new way forward.”
For Steven Langer, founder of Well by Design, that realization sparked a professional mission: to help organizations create conditions where people thrive rather than merely endure.
“Too many people are stressed, exhausted, and disengaged. It’s not just an HR issue… it’s a business sustainability issue.”
Steven’s work centers on three layers of one system: personal wellness, professional wellness, and organizational culture. His approach blends keynotes, training, and strategy to help companies move from a culture of burnout to one of coherence and trust.
From Burnout to Breakthrough
Like many leaders, Steven’s turning point came after pushing himself too far.
When his wife broke both wrists in a skating accident, he found himself balancing caregiving, fatherhood, and full-time work. In trying to “do it all,” he neglected himself until his body forced him to stop.
“At first, I tried to step up to be the hero father, hero husband, and hero employee. But in doing that, I neglected myself and that led to a health scare and burnout.…
And so I stepped up to try and fix it. And that’s where the idea came from. This idea of coherence is that your life should fit together and make sense for the stage of life and the circumstances that you’re in.”
The experience didn’t just shift his priorities; it reframed his career. Instead of accepting burnout as the cost of ambition, Steven built a framework for sustainable success. And it is the one that would later become the foundation of his book and his business.
The Coherence Compass: A Framework for Sustainable Success
Steven’s upcoming book, The Coherence Compass: Finding Wellness in a World Off Course, introduces a bold idea: work-life balance doesn’t exist, and chasing it keeps us stuck.
The Coherence Compass helps readers and organizations replace balance with coherence; a state where work and life align with intention and flow.
The framework encourages leaders to:
- Move from default to intention and stop letting the day happen to you.
- Shift from friction to flow and align energy with what matters most.
- Create room for complexity and match effort with life’s current stage.
The framework includes an assessment that helps readers understand where they stand and how to navigate toward coherence.
“We need to design our lives the same way we design our strategies… with intention.”
Leading by Letting Go
Early in his leadership journey, Steven believed being a leader meant having all the answers. Now, his definition is different.
“It’s not about being the smartest or getting the accolades. It’s about lifting other people up.”
He speaks openly about the shift from control to empowerment, a mindset CEOs will recognize as both liberating and necessary. Great leaders, he says, measure success not by how indispensable they are, but by how capable their teams become in their absence.
Hills and Plateaus: A CEO’s Guide to Growth
One of Steven’s most memorable metaphors is the “hill versus plateau.”
A hill represents a temporary surge. It is when a product launch, a conference season, or a funding sprint. You climb it, recover, and move forward.
A plateau signals a new level of consistency. In other words, it’s when being busy becomes the new normal. That’s when leaders must restructure, delegate, and adapt.
In Steven’s case, when he reached his first plateau, he hired a virtual assistant, an accountant, and a business development specialist, thus freeing himself to focus on impact.
“Recognize when you’re climbing a hill versus standing on a plateau. That’s how you know when to push and when to build.”
It’s a lesson in scalability and self-awareness that every CEO eventually encounters.
Intentional Living Beyond Work
Despite his demanding schedule, Steven practices what he teaches.
Every morning, before emails or meetings, he grabs a coffee and walks, and maybe sometimes in slippers, often in Edmonton’s cold air.
“Life’s meant to be enjoyed. It starts by designing your day with intention.”
He’s also rediscovering joy in time with his family. He loves spontaneous play, laughter, and curiosity. These moments, he says, are part of his own coherence compass.
On Steven’s Horizon
Steven’s next chapter is full of movement: the launch of The Coherence Compass on December 3rd, upcoming speaking engagements across North America, and intentional growth toward the US market.
But at the heart of it all, his goal remains simple. It is to help leaders create workplaces that breathe.
“We’re designed for rest, not reward. When leaders embody that truth, their people thrive too.”
Quick Takeaway for Edmontonian Leaders
- Burnout isn’t a badge of honor. It is a warning signal.
- Design your life with the same precision you apply to business strategy.
- Leadership isn’t about carrying it all; it’s about empowering others to carry it with you.
Steven’s story is a reminder that health should always be our number one priority because without it, we can’t do the things we love or lead the people who depend on us. He encourages us to start prioritizing wellness and explore a new way forward that’s both realistic and achievable.
And lucky for you, Steven and his team at Well by Design are here to help leaders and organizations begin that journey.
Connect with Edmonton’s Leadership Community through RCLF
At RCLF, we’re proud to highlight entrepreneurs like Steven, leaders who embody what they preach, build with intention, and create impact that lasts well beyond their business. They remind us that success is not just about growth. it’s about grace, balance, and coherence.
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