4 Surprising Times to Leap for Joy
Issues, problems, and challenges suck the joy out of leaders. Miserable leaders drain organizational energy. (People assume you’re miserable if you don’t express joy.)
Joy is energy.
Joy is an expression of wisdom and strength, not weakness. Find joy by expressing approval.
Successful leaders express joy without being frivolous.
Leap for joy when people:
#1. Understand themselves more clearly.
- People lose their energy when they lose themselves in the weeds.
- Effectiveness requires self-awareness.
- Energy goes up with self-expression. Self-expression requires self-awareness.
- Ask people questions about their enjoyment, energy, and fulfillment.
- Provide opportunity for reflection after failure or success. What worked for you?
#2. See the big picture.
- Leadership collateral is expended on people who negatively impact others and don’t care.
- Help people realize how their decisions, requests, and behaviors impact others.
- Ask, “What are we really doing around here?”
- Define and use language that keeps the big picture top of mind.
#3. Advocate for customers.
- Immaturity serves itself. Maturity serves others.
- Ask, “Who is our customer?”
- Ask, “How are you bringing value to customers?”
It’s pure joy to hear people speaking for those who aren’t in the room – customers.
#4. Challenge you.
- Give anyone who practices constructive dissent a raise.
- Say, “Thanks for saying that,” when alternatives are offered in meetings. Follow that with, “Tell me more.”
- Evaluate constructive dissent by asking, “How does this make us better?”
- Beware of those who have more goals for you than they have for themselves.
It’s the glory of leaders to express approval for behaviors that matter most. But lousy leaders constantly complain.
What makes leaders leap for joy?
What missed opportunities to leap for joy do you see in organizations?
I like the suggestion for a raise (or other reward or acknowledgement in the public sector) when possible. It’s also a good practice to keep track of these constructive dissents, ideas (“I’ve got an idea”)’ suggestions (“Have we ever thought about ‘X’?”) and if implemented in whole or partially down the road, an acknowledgement and reward can be made in front of others; “You all might remember back in February, Bob made a suggestion and it’s led to an increase in productivity….” “I’d like to thank Bob with….” Good post. Thanks!
Thanks SGT. Great seeing you here today. One of the great challenges of leadership is follow-up and follow-through. Perhaps we need a book of remembrance to keep track. Every quarter, open it up and see how we’re doing.
Have a great week.
This conversation brings to mind a book I read years back called “The Joy of Work.” I remember being so surprised that work could be joyful! It is so true that when leaders are filled with only negative energy, it saps the lifeblood out of the organization. Leaders need to continually grow and face adversity with the team, not alone, so they share successes and failures together. Otherwise, the joy and meaning of the mission will not be fulfilled and sustained.
Thanks nm… Your suggestion to collaborate seems like a powerful way to fuel positive energy. Isolation is draining after awhile. (Of course some are energized by alone time.) But too much alone time leads to isolation. Isolation to arrogance. Arrogance to frustration and exhaustion.
Say, “Thanks for saying that,” when alternatives are offered in meetings. Follow that with, “Tell me more.” I like this. More often I hear, “Yes, that’s interesting but … ”
‘Yes but’ is a real enthusiasm killer.
Thanks Tom. You really nailed it with, “Yes but…” It’s pretty hard to move forward with “yes but” thinking.
This reminds me of a manager I had who stated we need to celebrate success, yet sadly he never actually put the words into action – it was just lip service. People figure out when you are since when your actions speak in more loudly than words.
Thanks Kari. Follow through gives power to words. Without it, words are cheap. Thanks for sharing your experience.
I’m joyful everyday our workers go home to their families and come back tomorrow. Working in Industry can be dangerous as well as many other occupations! From a corporate standpoint joy is knowing we are profitable and people are able to support themselves and their families.
My greatest joy is when we please our customers and we are awarded more projects which allows our life cycle to continue without interruptions for our workers and their families.! “Joy to the world”!
“Help people realize how their decisions, requests, and behaviors impact others.” A great reminder. Thank you, Dan! We forget that this small action needs to be performed regularly to create a team of leaders.
Nice post Dan, thanks for this. The key to all of this , as I see is having , what I call a MOM…Mindful Open Mind…with MOM..a leader is prudently observant and joyfully appreciate of the people and surroundings.