In a world where stress and burnout often take center stage, finding the right tools for personal and professional growth is essential. Chris Miller, Founder & Coach at In-Cre-Mental, has dedicated himself to helping individuals and teams unlock their true potential. From his background as a personal trainer to leading a coaching business in Dubai, Chris brings a unique perspective to leadership and human performance.
In this ‘MG Meets’ interview, Chris shares how he launched In-Cre-Mental, the role of emotional intelligence in leadership, and how we can all take small steps to achieve big goals! Discover how Chris’s journey from personal challenges to thriving in business has shaped his philosophy for building better, more connected workplaces…
Let’s start at the beginning – what inspired you to launch In-Cre-Mental and what does being a “Chief InCreMentalist” mean to you both personally and professionally?
In-Cre-Mental was born from a programme that I used to run in London around 20 years ago when I had just qualified as a Personal Trainer, but the inspiration to launch it here in Dubai came from personal experience. I had resigned from my last role as I had found the culture of the company particularly challenging, and that had impacted my confidence and mental health to the point where I felt the need to reach out to get professional help and start on medication to help with depressive symptoms.
In light of this, and in discussion with my wife, I decided to combine the programme from London with my personal and professional experiences – both as a personal trainer/business owner and as a business leader – to develop a programme that focused on companies as a collection of, generally, disparate individuals who are trying to move cohesively in one direction, and how the human relationships can be bolstered and supported to enable that to happen.
Being Chief In-Cre-Mentalist, for me personally, means trying to live by the strategies that I expound on in my work. That being: to understand that life is a journey, and that the mode of transport for that journey is a body, brain and nervous system that has not changed significantly in approximately 200-300,000 years – when life was very different. We have to understand what drives us to determine how best to thrive in a world that has outstripped our ability to evolve to cope.
In-Cre-Mental breaks down to:
- In – internal: we can only truly have control over ourselves and our reactions to external events.
- Cre – is about tapping into our innate creativity to determine the best actions for us to take to achieve what we want.
- Mental – is about the fact that as long as we are breathing, we are either surviving or thriving. Survival puts us in a state of distress, causing our mental health to suffer. Thriving is about being in a state of eustress, which means we are more open to opportunities, creativity and abundance – and our mental health improves.
In-Cre-Mental is about identifying and taking small steps to achieve big goals.
I often use the analogy of distance running (back in the UK I used to participate in a number of long- and ultra-distance events). You know where you are starting from, and you have an idea of where you want to go. And whilst it is important to lift your head every now and then to know you are still heading in the right direction – and the emotional high of crossing the finish line is still motivating – it is each individual step forward where the real magic happens and dreams become realities, step by step.
How do you define a healthy, high-performing team culture in today’s hybrid or remote work environments?
I believe the best teams are facilitated by leaders, not managers, who are able to get engagement from all stakeholders to work towards a given goal or goals. This means building trust in leadership – that the team is capable of devising the best solutions for the best outcome, and that they are best placed to plan and execute.
This obviously means clear communication in all directions, with leadership willing to listen and accept plans that are not of their own devising or that may go contrary to personal or professional biases.
However, a healthy, high-performing team must also earn that trust – again, in all directions – by delivering work that is in line with the company’s objectives and that exceeds client expectations.
It’s no secret that most office-based employees are only productive for approximately 25-50% of the time they are at work; so, holding onto the outdated idea that workers are only productive under the watchful gaze of their taskmasters is not only wrong, but also engenders mistrust, reduces communication, and ultimately means the company survives but never thrives.
In your experience, what are the biggest barriers leaders face when trying to engage their teams and how can they overcome them?
I believe a lack of clarity, communication, and trust are all fundamental barriers to employee engagement.
As an example, mistakes are a component part of life and can either be viewed as a mess or an opportunity to learn. If a leader cultivates a culture of blame and chastisement for mistakes, then team members are less likely to communicate and will focus on not getting blamed or berated.
If, instead, the leader sees mistakes as an opportunity for the whole team to learn and grow, the team becomes a true unit, productive, creative, and more likely to embrace innovation.
You focus a lot on men’s wellbeing and helping them rediscover their confidence, what are some common challenges men face today, and how can coaching address these?
Some of the common challenges I see in men are things like doubting their capabilities, loneliness, reduced confidence, lack of clarity as to what being a man means, feeling time-poor, and a lack of purpose. These things manifest in various ways, but one thing is for sure: poor mental health (of which all of the examples above are indicative) does not go away by itself, and in the majority of cases will get to the point where either intervention is crucial or, unfortunately, where men take their own way out of the downward spiral.
Coaching helps to provide perspective. It enables an individual to metaphorically take the issue out of their head and examine it in a safe, supported space. Coaching aims to help the individual see what is going on behind the noise that the inside of their head has become, and to determine what they truly want and the best actions for them to take.
To a lesser extent, it provides someone to talk to, who will not judge, who is bound by codes of ethics to confidentiality, and who will support you to discover and walk your own path towards thriving.
What role does emotional intelligence play in leadership, and how can it be developed within organisations?
Emotional intelligence is, I believe, one of the cornerstones of truly great leadership. It enables leaders to see the individuals within the team and understand how to develop and support them to thrive for their own benefit and for the benefit of the unit as a whole.
I would say that practicing the trust we spoke about earlier, as well as having open and frank conversations where necessary, are key parts of this.
Part of my programme helps teams get to know the people they work with, not just as colleagues, but as individuals outside of the workplace and I’ve found this to be incredibly impactful in helping people understand and engage with each other better.
Emotional intelligence can also be developed through the use of active listening. Very often, conversations become two people simply waiting for their turn to speak, rather than truly engaging. In coaching, active listening ensures that communication is actually heard, something we all want, but very rarely experience.
How do you approach executives who are performing well but want to reach the next level?
As Albert Einstein says, “The thinking that got us to where we are is not the thinking that will get us to where we want to be.”
That an executive is successful is great, but they are successful where they are, not where they want to be. That’s not to say the lessons from the past aren’t useful, but getting to the “next level” requires a clear understanding of what that actually entails, as well as a plan to get from where they are to where they want to be and what support and/or resources will be required along the way.
In what ways does prioritising wellbeing lead to tangible business outcomes like productivity, or innovation?
Wellbeing is multi-faceted, it includes areas such as financial wellbeing as well as the more obvious physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. Because all areas of life are interconnected, making a positive (or negative) impact in one will inevitably ripple out to the others.
A rather morbid example of this and its tangible impact on work: if you’re physically healthy, you’re less likely to die early. That means the experience and knowledge you’ve built up can continue to benefit the business. On the other hand, if you neglect your wellbeing, you’re more likely to burn out or experience serious health issues. Not only is your experience lost, but now the company has to replace you and cover the associated costs.
A quick online search brings up some compelling, research-backed stats:
- 76% of UAE professionals cite workplace wellbeing as a very important factor when considering job offers (UAE Workforce Survey, 2023)
- UAE companies with robust wellbeing initiatives report 31% higher productivity levels compared to those without (Dubai Chamber of Commerce, 2023)
- UAE firms with high wellbeing scores are 2.3x more likely to be innovation leaders in their sectors (UAE Innovation Index, 2023)
Wellbeing isn’t woo-woo or a “nice to have”, if done right, it delivers tangible results that positively impact the bottom line and the quality of life for team members.
You help people thrive into the future, what does “thriving” look like in your own life right now?
For me at the moment, thriving is the culmination of a lot of work – both in my coaching business and in my mental health advocacy. I’m on the cusp of launching a new channel within my business that focuses on ensuring individuals and companies are ready and equipped to have meaningful conversations about mental health, and to know what to do when concerns are raised in the workplace. Thriving is also about having clients who trust me and allow me the honour of being there to witness their growth.
I’ve had incredible support from my wife and son, as well as from other coaches, especially my mentor coach, Philippe Mathijs of Reach Outstanding.
Thriving is doing what I love and being able to envision a future where that continues and grow.
What’s one myth about coaching or wellbeing you’d love to bust once and for all?
I suppose it’s a really simple one, and that is the idea that the coach is there to provide you with the “answers.” A coach is there to provide a safe space and ask deep questions to help you explore what the best path forward looks like for you.
As His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum says:
“The efforts we initiate ourselves will always carry more weight than those imposed upon us. Self-determined action springs from genuine conviction, while assigned tasks merely fulfil external expectations.”
What’s your best piece of advice for leaders who want to create a more mentally healthy workplace but don’t know where to start?
Get help! If you don’t already have a mentally healthy workplace, you’re not going to figure it out by yourself. Seek advice from those who have already created what you want, and also speak to wellbeing professionals who can assess both your needs and the needs of your employees. They can help you, as a company, devise a plan that works at every level.
And get involved! Too many leaders see wellbeing as something just for employees but don’t engage themselves. Positive wellbeing benefits everyone, and what better way to show how important it is than by getting the leadership team actively involved?
How can companies embed wellbeing into their day-to-day operations, beyond just offering perks?
Everyone loves a perk, but perks are just window dressing. The real foundation of wellbeing lies in human connections, trust, and shared goals. Leaders must trust their workforce and cultivate a culture where blame and shame are not tolerated. This is not easy, and it doesn’t happen overnight.
Start by being open about what you’re trying to do and actively request feedback, with the assurance that it will be heard and genuinely considered.
Sometimes, if this represents a major shift from the norm, people will be skeptical. However, if leaders commit to actively listening and consistently communicating, trust will start to grow. Over time, you’ll learn about your workforce, how to help them thrive, and in turn, how that will help the company thrive as well.
What trends in coaching or organisational wellbeing do you believe leaders can’t afford to ignore?
There are several trends, but one that stands out as especially important is the rise of burnout prediction analytics. These tools can identify at-risk individuals with a high degree of accuracy before visible signs of burnout appear. This ability to predict and intervene early could be a game changer for organisations.
Finally, for someone feeling disengaged or stuck in their role, what’s a small, actionable first step they can take today?
Accept that you have control over your reactions and no control over what anyone else thinks, says, or does.
Ask yourself: What is it that is making me feel like this? and What do I have the ability to control in this situation? It might be as simple as changing your perspective or finding something outside of work that makes your work life more bearable. If that makes things even 0.5% better, then it’s an improvement. And now, you have a mechanism by which to make positive change happen in any situation.
Besides your work, what are some hobbies or interests that you’re truly passionate about?
Snorkelling is my happy place. The peace and beauty you experience while swimming in the natural environment always fills my heart with joy.
I recently tried e-foiling and fell in love with it – it’s so much fun!
As an ex-personal trainer, I also really enjoy being in the gym environment.
What’s one travel destination on your bucket list that’s not typically found in travel guides, and what intrigues you about it?
I’m not sure if it’s exactly “off the beaten path,” but I’m desperate to visit Japan. I love the history, the beauty of nature, and how it all coexists with the kooky, high-tech cities. It’s this juxtaposition and the mentality it has shaped that I find truly fascinating.
Do you have any hidden talents or artistic pursuits that you enjoy?
I sometimes work as an extra and have appeared in a number of commercials and other commercial video formats for the likes of Amazon, Du, Saudia etc.
What’s a surprising or unusual fact about you that people might not expect, something that doesn’t typically come up in your professional bio or interviews?
I’m not sure there are that many as I’m pretty open about most things. I guess one is that one of my bucket list activities is to snorkel with octopuses in the wild. I am absolutely fascinated by them and have promised that I won’t get my next tattoo until that happens. The tattoo will be of an octopus, of course.
What was the best piece of advice you were ever given?
“This too shall pass.” I even have it tattooed on my forearm. It reminds me to enjoy the good times because they won’t last forever, and equally, to know that when facing difficult times, they won’t last either. So, hang in there and keep doing the work.
We often hear about your professional achievements, but can you share a personal achievement or moment in your life that you’re particularly proud of?
I think owning my own gym is something I’m particularly proud of, as it was a dream from a very early age.
Outside of your professional roles, what’s something you’ve always wanted to learn or try but haven’t had the opportunity to explore yet?
I would really like to learn a musical instrument, probably the guitar, just to be a real cliché. But I’m not sure I have the patience for it.
What was your dream job as a child?
To join the armed forces. Unfortunately, for reasons beyond my control, it didn’t happen.
One habit that changed your life?
Meditation/mindfulness practice has, without exaggeration, been the thing that has been the biggest turning point in improving my mental health and how I perceive the world and my place in it.
What is your life motto?
Be consistent. Be patient. Be compassionate.
If you were to create a playlist that represents your life journey so far, what are the top three songs that would be on it?
Common People – Pulp: It’s a great song and reminds me of that feeling of being working-class and finding people with lots of money very strange.
Hotel California – Eagles: It reminds me of travel and the mystery to be discovered in the world.
Summertime – Will Smith: It was the song that played as my wife and I entered our wedding reception venue. One of the best days of my life, and when the opening bass kicked in, the place erupted.
What’s a memorable visual from your childhood that continues to hold significance in your life today?
The day my mum told my brothers and me that our dad wasn’t going to be living with us anymore. It’s something that shaped my formative years and continues to influence who I want to be for my son.
If you had to sum up your life philosophy or a guiding principle in just one sentence, what would it be?
If your reality does not meet your expectations, change one to match the other.
If you were to write a personal letter to your younger self, what advice or words of wisdom would you offer?
Things won’t always go your way, but that’s okay because they are just events. They have no idea or care for the impact they have, but they are an opportunity to grow, because we only grow when we are challenged, and growth is the point of life.
Being angry or mean only ever makes you angrier and meaner.
Be grateful for every day that you wake up; a lot of people weren’t that lucky.
It’s never too late to start.
You are a beautiful, loving, generous human being, as we all are, if we’d just let ourselves be that way.
Don’t forget to check out Chris Miller’s social media profiles here:
This feature is a reminder of why we do what we do at Manning Global – building meaningful, positive relationships that lead to mutual success. If you’re looking to collaborate or want to learn more, we’d love to hear from you!
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