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© 2010, © 2011 LARRY BROUGHTON, All rights reserved.
Do a simple Google search on the term “Happiness” and you’ll find that everyone seems to be on the same journey. Psychologist are studying it, countries are measuring it, celebs are writing about it, & shysters are finding ways to monetize it.
If you’ve followed me for any length of time you’ve found that I like clarity and simplicity…if it can offer deep meaning and provide guidance, then I’m enamored. The Happiness Trail sketch fits the bill for me.
By the way, if you’ve not tried Picnik.com to edit your photos and tweak simple sketches like these, consider this your invite.
It’s no secret that improved productivity is always on the mind of engaged entrepreneurs and business leaders. For decades, business gurus have preached the importance of to-do lists, detailed time logs, time-management instruments, tools to prioritize time and projects, and ways to sync calendars with profits.
Sure, this is important stuff, but to improve and sustain high levels of productivity we ought not start with these tools. Sure, many tools can prove useful…we could improve short-term productivity by carrying a whip around the office and using other punitive tactics, but I’ve got a pretty good sense how things will turn out.
To improve productivity and profits we should start first by improving trust and happiness in our organizations. They’ve all got their place, but no system, tool or trick in the world can increase productivity like improved morale.
When happiness and trust are high in organizations, so too is:
- team cohesiveness
- job satisfaction
- creativity
- revenue per team member
- energy and excitement
- optimism
- speed of learning, and
- quality of decision making
Can you recall a time when you were amazed at your own performance—perhaps your team members or leaders were stunned at the high quality of the results of your efforts? I’ll bet you were in a season where your personal happiness and trust quotients were high.
More and more CEOs, scholars, coaches, and organizational development gurus are studying the link between happiness and trust in the workplace and productivity. If you want to improve productivity in your organization, focus first on improving trust and happiness. I guarantee you’ll realize sustained improvements.
I had heard it for so many years, from so many people, that I finally had to give it a shot…oddly enough, the darn thing works! I could choose to be an edgy grouch, or choose to have a spirit of sunshine, lollipops and rainbows.
My self-delusion (in THIS area) first came to light a few years ago during a conversation with some friends, when I mentioned that I thought of myself as “breezy.” So much laughter broke out, especially from Suzanne (my bride), that I had to stop and reflect if, perhaps, I’d been in denial. I was assured by everyone there, that that was, indeed, the case. Finally, I had to admit that I, too, am a grumpy-puff (Suzanne’s words, not mine).
I know from personal experience that it’s easier to be around people who are happy…yet I was subjecting those around me to my grumpiness. Happy people make the workplace more productive. There’s more joy at home, time seems to fly by more quickly, and it’s better for our mental and physical health to be happy.
I also recognize that it’s not always easy to choose happiness; and sometimes it just feels good not to work so hard, and to wallow for a bit. But don’t hang out there too long…it’s better on the lighter side. I didn’t give up the grumpiness cold-turkey, and I’m still working on this whole thing, but it gets a little easier everyday. (I’m curious, are there 12-step programs for recovering grouches?)
Stop pouting. Take action. Be happy.
