Each week we are doing a deep dive into a different topic and this week we’ve been looking at some of the key takeaways from Shawn Achor’s The Happiness Advantage. We’ll wrap it up this week by looking at the implications of boosting happiness on workplace culture.
Question: Is it surprising that leaders who cultivate happiness in the workplace also drive overall productivity and success?
Shawn shares the research of psychologist Marcial Losada around high and low performance teams. Catch this: successful teams have a ratio of 3-to-1 positive to negative interactions, comments, experiences, or expressions. Performance suffers when the ratio dips below that point and improves significantly when it is higher. In fact, teams produce their very best work when the ratio gets above 6-to-1.
At servant leadership organizations like PCI, leadership is a mindset, not a job title, i.e. we are all expected to show up as leaders every single day.
As leaders, we can can make it a point to have more positive interactions. Research shows when we appreciate and recognize our colleagues by giving them authentic, positive feedback and encouragement, we impact the overall performance of our team.
And it all starts with the person in the mirror. By being intentional about giving ourselves small bursts of positivity – making it a point to connect with someone, crack a joke, or just take a deep breath – we improve our overall well-being as well as the workplace environment around us.
Turns out this approach works at home, too.
Reflection: What actions have I taken in the past to increase my overall well-being and happiness?
Action: Intentionally recognize or appreciate someone I work with today.
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