Unhappiness is easier than happiness like lousy leadership is easier than remarkable.
The best way to promote unhappiness is to neglect happiness.
Leaders who neglect happiness lead unhappy teams.
7 ways leaders promote unhappiness:
- Waste energy avoiding stuff. Protection is necessary but it doesn’t build the future.
- Keep telling people what you don’t want and don’t like.
- Accept nothing less than perfection.
- Compare the present to the good ole days.
- Belittle. Remind people of their weaknesses and failures.
- Don’t play. Work all the time.
- Punish initiative.
Unhappy organizations fall below their potential.
Happiness is energy.
10 ways leaders inspire happiness:
- Enjoy happiness. Some leaders fear happiness. Honor happiness when you see it.
- Earn trust. Be a trustworthy leader. Have you had a leader you didn’t trust? Were you happy? Productive? Trust precedes happiness. Distrust produces unhappiness.
- Promote transparency. Silos are made of secrets. Transparency eliminates secrets.
- Listen. Listening is cost effective. You don’t have to agree or solve. Listen to understand. Relax. Talk less. Make space for silence. Happiness stands on feeling understood.
- Focus on meaning and purpose. Meaningful work inspires happiness. Remind people how their work matters. Let them know they matter.
- Connect strengths and talents to challenges and opportunities. Everyone on your team sucks at something. Choose to acknowledge and leverage their strengths.
- Give control. The more controlling you are, the more unhappiness you cause.
- Show appreciation. Name behaviors you admire. Dive below results to behaviors that produce results.
- Be friendly.
- Make values based decisions. Profits matter, but it’s not just about profit anymore.
Which of these happiness principles seems most important to you?
How do leaders inspire happiness at work?