The Duke of Sussex made a surprise appearance at the Masters of Scale Summit on Wednesday.
Prince Harry made a surprise appearance at an event with a cause close to his heart. On Wednesday, the Duke of Sussex attended the Masters of Scale Summit, where he and the CEO and Co-founder of BetterUp, Alexi Robichaux, spoke about the importance of leaders taking note of their staff’s mental health.
During the 20-minute conversation, Harry -- who is the Chief Impact Officer of BetterUp -- spoke about the personal impact therapy and coaching had on his life.
"The moment I started doing therapy, it opened my eyes," the 38-year-old royal said. "I was moving through life thinking there was only one way to live. And therapy burst that bubble. Then when I found my way to coaching, the next bubble burst, and all of a sudden I realized that now I have perspective, and a great understanding of my value. I regained confidence that I never thought I had."
Harry also stressed the importance of leaders not letting mental health issues hinder their ability to encourage members of their team. Rather, the duke said, use it as more motivation to encourage them to seek help.
"It’s exciting to know what the human potential is for every person in this room and across the entire world," he added. "But we’re also at a point where we actually need to unlock that potential. The only way we can do that is to individually grow ourselves, but also help the people we are responsible for grow as well."
He added, "If you are going to scale your company, the only way I believe you can do that is to successfully scale yourself and scale your employees at the same time."
Harry’s surprise appearance and words moved some of the attendees in the room. Myles Worthington, Founder & CEO of WORTHI, who was in the audience at the Masters of Scale Summit, tells ET, "Harry and the CEO of BetterUp had a really powerful talk on the importance of both therapy and coaching, at all levels. The whole crowd was really moved."
Dominique Taylor, who met Harry at the Masters of Scale Summit, tells ET, "Harry was incredibly honest and authentic about what a difference therapy and coaching has made for him. It’s inspiring to see someone use their platform in such a meaningful way."
In July, Harry -- who has been candid about his mental health journey -- starred alongside Chloe Kim and others in a video for BetterUp that promoted the importance of coaching and therapy’s impact.
Harry was appointed the role of Chief Impact Officer in March. Following the news, the royal released a statement sharing why he was inspired to work with the organization.
"I firmly believe that focusing on and prioritizing our mental fitness unlocks potential and opportunity that we never knew we had inside of us," he wrote at the time. "As the Royal Marine Commandos say, 'It's a state of mind.' We all have it in us."
"Being attuned with your mind, and having a support structure around you, are critical to finding your own version of peak performance," he added. "What I’ve learned in my own life is the power of transforming pain into purpose."
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