Should hope and joy be cornerstones for the culture at your organization? We believe so and current findings support the importance of both for successful organizations, and employee as well as organizational well-being.
An HBR article on the strategic power of hope was published early in December and on the same day, an interview on how to cultivate joy on your team was published. Both are powerful messages for this time of year and for consideration during the new year.
Humans have a negativity bias tendency, which causes us to always be on the lookout for what can go wrong or harm us. At one time this was a protective mechanism, and one that organization leaders emphasized – teaching employees and managers to always look for what could go wrong. But as the author of the Strategic Power of Hope argues, holding a defensive and fearful view narrows our focus, preventing creativity and causing us to miss opportunities.
This way of thinking is what started the research and movement for positive psychology. Positive psychology is a branch of psychology concerned with the scientific study of well-being and the ‘good life’, rather than a preoccupation with disease and dysfunction. It is a field of study that focuses on how to improve the quality of life for people, groups, and organizations.
It is often referred to as the science of human flourishing. As we’ve blogged in the past, forward thinking workplace wellness programs focus initiatives based on the principles of positive psychology and flourishing, rather than focusing on disease and health risks.
Human flourishing and well-being are despite our inextricable tragedies, sicknesses, traumas. The concept must include how we handle all that life throws at us. (More on this in the near future!)
Martin Seligman coined the term positive psychology and both he and Mihaly Csikszentmihaly championed the movement. The research confirms 24 positive strength factors for well-being and human flourishing. Both emphasize that these are also the foundation for organizational well-being and flourishing.
In his book, The Hope Circuit, Dr. Seligman makes the case for the importance of virtues like hope, gratitude, and wisdom for well-being. Positive emotions such as hope, joy, and gratitude form a cornerstone of the movement.
And what about joy in the workplace? Don’t mistake joy for being ‘happy’ at work or that work should be fun. Instead, picture a workplace where employees,
- ENJOY working,
- Get pleasure from completing tasks,
- Look for innovative and creative ways to improve, and
- Actually, LIKE working together
These are the messages behind the HBR interview with the CEO of Menlo Interventions. He has published 2 books on joy. The HBR interview was originally broadcast in 2018 after his book, Chief Joy Officer: How Great Leaders Elevate Human Energy and Eliminate Fear, offers guidance for leaders on how to create joy at work rather than fear.
Below are 10 key take aways to cultivate joy gleaned from the interview:
- Employees need to witness and realize the benefits of what they are doing at work. We at Dimensions have suggested and witnessed many ways of ensuring this, even in industries that seem separated from the customers using their products.
- Joy is not about happiness, having fun, or being happy at work. Although certainly having fun can be good and beneficial, these states are external and not sustainable. In fact, having fun without joy at work can lead to cynicism – regardless of how many pool tables your facility has. These cannot replace joy or mask a lack of enjoyment at work.
- Joy is internally focused. It results from being of service to each other, and our customers. It is knowing that what you do matters and is beneficial. It is based on collaboration, even when times are tough.
- Cultivating joy includes a balance of optimism, realism, and hope, as well as being focused and ensuring the job is done right.
- Being of service to others enhances creativity, imagination, and innovation.
- The process of cultivating such a culture of joy is messy and non-linear. It requires relationship building and trust. It is ‘felt’ rather than always observed; however, joy is apparent when observing the process of working together.
- As leaders, be the change you want to see in your organization. Start small. Just begin.
- No organization is too big, too small, too regulated, too unregulated, etc. etc., to cultivate joy on teams.
- Any employee can lead the change to enhance more joy at work. We are all leaders: build relationships, and create the positive energy needed.
- Leader change starts with discomfort. Be vulnerable. Jump into this new way of leading! Try a pilot and learn from mistakes rather than contemplating every possible outcome and what could go wrong. Trust the process.
We would argue that fostering a culture of hope and joy are not just to enhance productivity, creativity, and imagination. These same outcomes enhance well-being. Positive emotions such as hope and joy are the essential elements for your safety program and your wellness program. In fact, modeling such a culture through leading your safety and wellness programs can be the levers to create a culture of well-being for your organization.
Safety and well-being are inextricably connected with individual well-being and organizational well-being. Hope and joy are leading qualities that can be learned and cultivated as part of your leadership development programs.
Reflective questions asked during the HBR interview:
“Is it worth the risk to lead with joy rather than
sticking with your current way of leading that was learned?”
Or a better question, “Ask yourself if the risk of sticking to the same way of leading
is greater than the risk of change?”