The chorus is growing. Happy people are more creative and productive. Recent work by noted psychologist and organizational expert Daniel Gilbert adds yet more heft.  The problem is that many managers believe that you have to keep people “on their toes,” perhaps even anxious about their job to make them more productive. Fact is that there exist no data that shows that anxious, fearful people are more creative or productive. Given the global tumult effecting western economies, I would argue that now, more than ever, it is important to ensure your employees are happy. Would it not make sense to have your human capital at its best during the toughest times in recent history?

Sources of Happiness

The findings of the science behind happiness may surprise you:

1. A primary ingredient is having a robust social network of friends and family. In fact, Gallup researchers Tom Rath & Jim Harter point out that we need six hours of socializing a day.

2. Frequency of happy moments is important. It is not necessarily how good a particular experience was as much as how many good experiences you have. Having a dozen small good things happen in a day is better than having one fantastic thing. Happiness appears to be the sum of hundreds of small things.

Like weight loss, there is no magic pill that gives instant results. Happiness is the result of small daily steps over time.

How to Increase Happiness

The main things to commit to include: meditating, exercising, getting enough sleep, and to practice altruism. This last point isn’t yet commonplace in business literature yet but is well articulated by the work of Robert Emmon.  Volunteering or helping others is a great way to achieve this.

The last piece is a simple yet powerful tool: practice gratitude by writing down at least twice a week three things you’re grateful for. As Gilbert says, “these sound like homilies form grandmother…but your grandmother was smart. The secret of happiness is like the secret of weight loss: It’s not a secret!”

So if you want to improve workplace productivity and hit your competitors hard, why not start with the basics? The path to increased happiness leads to increased productivity and creativity.

No matter what the state of the economy, research shows that the best way to sustain a consistently high performing workforce is to have a happy workforce. In their work on creating sustainable performance, Gretchen Spreitzer and Christine demonstrate the foundation of long term business success. Their message is simple: If you give your employees the chance to learn and grow, they’ll thrive – and so will your organization.

What does it mean to be happy in your job? For Spreitzer & Porath, it means to ‘thrive’. A thriving workforce is one where employees not just satisfied and productive but also engaged in creating the future – the company’s and their own. Thriving employees are highly energized and, importantly, they know how to avoid burnout.

Serious Impact

If you remain skeptical, here’s some numbers. People who thrive have:

• 16% – 27% better performance
•  125% less burnout (read: big impact!)
•  32% more committed to the organization
• 46% more satisfied with their jobs.

People who thrive also miss less work and have fewer doctor visits. This means significant health care savings and less lost time due to absenteeism. This is further backed up by recent work from Gallup which demonstrates that having high levels of wellbeing is good for both employee and employer alike.

Two Components

Spreitzer & Porath point to two underlying components of thriving: vitality and learning.

Vitality is the sense of being alive, passionate, and excited. Employees who experience vitality spark energy in themselves and others. Companies generate vitality by giving people the sense that what they do on a daily basis makes a difference.

Learning is the growth that comes from gaining new knowledge and skills. Learning triggers a virutous cycle: People who are developing their abilities tend to believe in their potential for further growth.

The two qualities work in concert. One requires the other. Each alone is unsustainable over the long term. The combination of vitality and learning is powerful.  It leads to people who deliver results and find ways to grow.

How To Help Your People Thrive

The best part is that leaders can spark a culture that supports people to thrive without dramatic measures or huge chunks of change. There are 4 mechanisms that set the foundation for employees to thrive. Like learning and vitality, all are necessary.

1. Provide Decision-Making Discretion – Empower your people at every level to have more say in the decisions effecting their work. This will energize them and provide them with a greater sense of control.
2. Share Information – Working in a vacuum sucks. It neither inspires or feeds innovation. Workplaces that make information widely available build trust and gives people the knowledge they need to make good decisions and take initiative with confidence.
3. Minimize Incivility – I can’t emphasize this enough. The costs of incivility are great. Employees who experience uncivil behaviour at work intentionally decrease their efforts and the quality of their work. A single bad player can set the culture awry.
4. Offer Performance Feedback – Feedback creates opportunities for learning and the energy so critical for a culture of thriving. The quicker and more direct the feedback, the more useful it is.

Creating the conditions for thriving requires focus and determination. As I’ve argued in the past, helping people grow and remain energized at work is worthy on its own merits. But by doing so, you’ll also boost your company’s performance over the long haul. Isn’t this the bottom line that we all want anyways?

Looking back, its been quite the year.  Across the planet seeds of change appear to be taking hold. From the occupy movements and political uprisings like the Arab Spring, to eurozone meltdowns, to American political and economic strife, financial markets are trembling and geopolitical shifts are taking shape. Amongst all the tumult and perhaps because of it, a new perspective seems to be surfacing of what it means to be successful and thrive as individuals and societies.

Necessity is the Mother of Invention

It seems necessity truly is the mother of invention and this has given me both renewed hope and inspiration for our collective future.  The predominant economic model of infinite resource, intensive growth and ever increasing profit has clearly pushed people and the planet to the edge. In its place a new paradigm where maximum wellbeing for minimal planetary input is sprouting.  New ways of doing business are emerging from a global re-examination of the link between wealth, growth, wellbeing and prosperity.

The Human Element

I have spent the last decade as an executive coach helping individuals, professionals and leaders find their way to lives that bring them wellbeing. My clients have spanned all levels of economic and professional success. Many of the most unhappy have had more money and status than all the rest combined.

I have observed that company cultures and practices still rarely reflect an understanding of what truly matters to people, whether it be their customers or their employees.  And many leaders still don’t always have the skills to lead in a way that reflects an appreciation of the human experience of daily life.

While happiness or wellbeing are subjective in nature, it is particularly helpful for a company to set about figuring out what makes people “feel” good, positive, engaged, connected, needed etc. as that can be a driving force behind a company’s success.

Many leaders are starting to see this and realizing that just moving in this direction is a good thing because underlying the process is the need for leaders and companies to become more aware of those around them and their relationships in their world. Finding happiness and meaning is a complicated process, but I believe that companies and leaders who value understanding what really matters to people, and are willing to take the first step, will indeed find new ways to prosper and help re-define prosperity even in the face of the challenges of today’s world.

Here’s to green shoots in 2012!

Like the year before it, 2011 has been quite the wild and exciting ride. A year full of extraordinary conversations, further business development in Asia and expanded growth in North America. I’ve upped my social network game and have discovered the joy of twitter. I’m in the process of re-vamping my blogsite to offer improved access to leading edge research and practical tips on leadership, engagement and wellbeing. Along the way I’ve had the joy of simply doing my job; connecting with amazing men & women driven to make their lives and that of others and of their organizations better.

During a year where much of the media has been consumed with the ubiquitous socio-political and economic upheaval sweeping the planet, I discovered a rich vein of hope.

Perhaps late to the game, since starting to twitter a few months ago, I’ve come across people working hard to improve the planet and the lives of all with profound research that implores us to not do ‘business as usual’.

Veins of Hope

Here’s a sampling of some of my favourite thought leaders and organizations that show us not only why but how to not do business as usual:

• The New Economics Foundation:  The tag line says it all: economics as if people and the planet mattered. A veritable treasure trove of evidence based research on how to do business more sustainably.

• Jules Peck: Shows why the holy grail for enlightened companies has become the “wellbeing dividend” where sustainability efforts can be shown to increase rather than damage customer and societal quality of life and wellbeing.

• The Sustainable Business Blog: Explains why we need to radically redesign our business models with less emphasis on growth and more on wellbeing.

• Action for Happiness: This is a movement for positive social change. Through articles by thought leaders and their research, this blog brings together people from all walks of life who want to play a part in creating a happier, healthier society for everyone.

• The Happy Manifesto: In this short volume, packed with stories and practical examples, Henry Stewart sets out the principles that could transform your workplace into a truly great place to work in.

These and other sources of inspiration have further fueled both my mission and resolve to continue making a positive impact on our planet, people and the way we do business. I’m looking forward to continuing to bringing you the latest thinking and tools to help you and your company thrive.

What’s your resolve for 2012 and beyond?

Each year, we see the dawning of the New Year as a time for fresh starts. More exercise, a better job, more time with family and friends, perhaps quitting smoking? No matter what the goals, they’re usually focused on upping ourselves in the big game – the game of life. Well, why not use the ultimate template to help you set your goals? For more than 50 years, Gallup researchers have been exploring the raw materials of a life well-lived. They’ve come up with 5 essential elements that transcend countries & cultures.

So if you’re setting goals for 2012, why not set them based on the elements that differentiate a thriving life from one that’s simply endured?

The Central Five

1. Career Wellbeing: how you occupy your time or simply liking what you do every day is key.  Get this right and you’ll never look back.
2. Social Wellbeing: having strong relationships and love in your life can make a profound impact.  Building connections with friends, family, colleagues and neighbors will support and enrich you everyday.
3. Financial Wellbeing: effectively managing your economic life can remove untold stressors from you life. Learning to live within one’s means is a good place to begin.
4. Physical Wellbeing: having good health and enough energy to get things done on a daily basis. Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Straight up.
5. Community Wellbeing: the sense of engagement you have with the area where you live is a cornerstone. Volunteer your time. Join a community group or your kid’s school sports committee. Being linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding.

So while it might be easier to treat these critical areas in our lives as if they were separate, they’re not.  They’re all interconnected and shape our lives.  So why not plan to get more out of each day, and your life, in 2012 by ensuring your goals take into account these essential five?

Follow these five and you will not only feel the better for it but you’ll be boosting the wellbeing of your friends, family members, colleagues, and others in your community.  Now that sounds like a great outcome.

Here’s to the best in 2012!

Tired already with the influx of seemingly opportunistic holiday thank-you’s as opposed to real gratitude?  What? That coupon from your colleague for a mocha latte at Starbucks isn’t doing it for you? Well, no wonder. Like many of us, you might not be moved much by superficial displays of holiday season thank-you’s.  Instead, what we really crave, and what has the most impact on us and our customers, is honest, thoughtful & respectful acknowledgement.

Gratitude Deficit Disorder

Despite all our good intentions and actions we recieve much more criticism than gratitude. Fast Company blogger Howie Jacobson identifies a global gratitude deficit disorder whereby people across every business sector are hungry for genuine appreciation and thanks. My own experience with clients from all walks of life and across 3 continents would tend to confirm this.

Bust out the Science

Research shows that folks who focus on feeling grateful benefit in many ways, including the physical, psychological and social realms.  At the forefront of this research is Dr. Robert A Emmons.  He uses science to show how feeling grateful can improve your health, thinking abilities and your relationships with other people.

How it Works in Business

In her blog, The Power of Grateful Forbes contributor Erika Andersen connects the dots between gratitude and world of work:

• Leaders who are grateful tend to behave in ways that inspire “followership”;
• Grateful leaders tend to be passionate – their sense of possibility and hope translates into the ability to commit deeply;
• Grateful leaders tend to be generous – their appreciation for what’s working tends to manifest in generosity with praise, credit, resources and faith;
• Passion & generosity are the two most attractive qualities in a leader: we feel supported and included in the grateful leader’s hopeful view of the world.
• Colleagues who are grateful – who focus more on what’s working and on the contributions of others as opposed to complaining, dismissing and blaming – are simply more pleasant to be around.
• Grateful people are more likely to build strong ties of mutual support with others and are able to call upon those ties to get things done.

Roll it Out

So: no matter whether you’re leading a team, an organization or a cubicle, an attitude of gratitude is the way to go.  Between now and the end of the year, how can you communicate your appreciation? How can you fill the far-reaching hunger for gratitude? How can you catch people doing good things? How can you notice the contributions of those around you?  Spend five minutes now and make a list of the folks at work – colleagues, customers, vendors – that you are sincerely grateful towards. Then create an action plan to show your appreciation, with no hidden agenda.

Give the gift that keeps on giving. You, your company and your career will benefit.

Happy Holidays!

The pace has all of a sudden advanced to light speed. Your ‘to do’ pile just doesn’t seem to shrinking fast enough. Yet more work comes your way.  Welcome to the annual pre-holiday frenzy. Fun right? Thought not.  It’s that special time of year when getting stuff done so you can actually relax over the holidays, becomes paramount. Here’s how you can do just that.

Like many others, I start each day with my to-do list.  It’s difficult sticking to it though with emails, phone interuptions, texts and all the other distractions…particularly at this time of year when everyone seems to need stuff done before the holidays.  It doesn’t take long before I’m off track and by day’s end am left wondering how it was that I was so darn busy yet didn’t knock much off my to-do list. Know the frustration?

This all changed a few weeks back after reading Dan Pink’s blog on The Power of an Hourly Beep.  In it he interviews productivity expert Peter Bregman and the tools Peter offers are deceptively simple yet incredibly powerful.  Here’s how it all works:

Begin by setting hourly beeps. Each hour when your watch, computer or phone beeps, stop whatever you’re doing and ask yourself two questions:

1. Am I doing what I most need to be doing right now?

2. Am I being who I most want to be right now?

Like Peter, when I first considered this, I thought that this would be in and of itself, pretty disruptive.  But, in fact, these one-15-second-every-hour interruptions proved incredibly effective. They constantly brought me back to doing what, and being who I needed to be to make it a successful day. This happened so quickly and powerfully for me that I was blown away by how much more productive I became.

So, in this lead up to your holiday break, give this strategy a try.  In fact, use it all the time to create a powerful new habit that allows you to do more in less time. For me, it has made the difference between ending the day feeling frustrated that I didn’t get enough priority stuff done and ending it satisfied that I had. Perhaps it could do the same for you.

Here’s to a clean break from work over the Holidays!

You have a passion for your work.  You are driven to do give your best.  You love the challenge of new problems and strive for continuous improvement of your products and services.  Well, what happens when that type of drive and ambition is no longer valued at your job?  Do you tough it out?  Given my experience in working with many high performers, I say you head for the hills.

Whether it be due to restructuring or simply bad hiring, I’ve seen new leaders brought in that are the anti-thesis of the creative, risk-taking visionaries that preceeded them.  For some this presents no problem at all…for others it is slow death by a thousand cuts.  If you are a high performer, you’re likely to feel the latter.  As the boss impacts the workplace culture by promoting or favouring those who are not innovators but instead play it safe, you might begin to feel a slow but tightening stranglehold around your neck.

Leadership affects organizational culture and if the new boss begins to reward mediocrity, it is usually best to start looking elsewhere.  As a high performer you’ll likely not be a good match for this new status quo.  Your finely tuned skill set, drive and winning attitude will likely never be fully appreciated and can even become perceived as a threat.

The bottom line is that if you’re no longer feeling the ‘love’ at work for your skills and abilities you risk becoming bored, frustrated and disengaged…and you know that this is not a place you want to go.

What would it be like to have a neighborhood ‘feel’ at work? Would it add or take away from your ability to get things done or for your company to be profitable?  In a refreshing take on corporate culture, business psychologist Art Markman argues that creating a sense of neighborhood at work can only help it succeed.

In hierarchies, everyone takes on a role.  If you’re at the top of the food chain you get more privileges and rewards.  Those at the bottom usually have less control, input and are often told what to do.  The understanding is that as one works their way up the hierarchy and takes on more responsibility, higher pay and benefits are provided.

In a neighborhood, while not everyone shares equally, we tend to strive for equality.  If you need help doing something like changing your tire, chances are a neighbor might offer to help. It would be strange for you to offer him or her money in return. In turn you reciprocate somewhere down the road and a relationship builds.

Interestingly a company cannot succeed unless you and your colleagues start to think of yourselves as a valued part of a bigger picture.  You might stay at work late a few times out of fear that your boss is watching.  But you’ll be more likely to put in that consistent effort if you feel part of the ‘neighborhood‘ and feel like everyone is pitching in.

To have a neighborhood culture, the company must respond in kind. Seemingly small actions like supporting you or your colleagues families through tough times and providing educational opportunities for you go a long way to creating a general sense of community.  This investment in community is repaid in behaviours that ultimately affect the company’s bottom line.

Fairness is key because it supports the creation of a community.  Ultimately, the loyalty of a company’s neighborhood helps them avoid or lessen the ills and impact of the market economy.

What’s the ethos of your workplace?  Is it a neighborly feel or more of an everyone for themselves feel?

I just came from a restaurant where I was powerfully reminded of the importance of an often elusive piece of business success – great customer service.  For me it’s like the elephant in the middle of the room.  So many company’s flout their extraordinary customer service yet deliver the opposite.  I’m particularly puzzled about this, especially in our current economic climate.  The bottom line is that, all things being equal, people will go where they’re treated the best.

What Gives?

It seems like such low hanging fruit.  If you say that you deliver great customer service then you should do it.  But perhaps it’s more complex than this?  If you google ‘customer service’ you come up with all sorts of sites giving ‘top ten’ types lists of customer service.  A few even mention the workplace environment as being a key piece of the puzzle.  It is this latter piece where I’ve observed many businesses flounder.  For some reason, taking care of it’s employees, or ‘walking the talk’, seems to be a difficult thing for some businesses to master.

No Secret.

Treat your employees well.  It helps to think of them as your internal customers and they need regular doses of appreciation.  In Appreciation on a Shoestring I outline a number of ways to do this effectively with little or no budget.

It is the tone and content of the day-to-day interactions that you share with your team that build a place where people like to come to work.  Treat your employees like you want your customers to be treated.  Chances are they will then have a higher regard for customers.  Appreciation stems from the top.  Treating employees with the same regard that you’d like them to show customers should be of equal importance.

If you really want to rise above the competition, stand out by creating a place where your team feels genuinely valued.