“I finally figured out how to improve employee morale,” David McInnis said to Roy Williams.
“Productivity skyrockets and everyone loves coming to work. It’s program that never fails. Works every time.”
I stood there looking at David.
He stood there looking at me.
Finally, I raised my shoulders and turned my palms upward.
Looking steadily into my eyes, David said, “Fire all the unhappy people.”
Liberty to explore
Unhappy people seem to experience life as unfortunate, hopeless, ill fated, doomed, unsatisfactory or sad. What do you think … want to bet your success on the productivity of unhappy people?
In “What Happy People Do Differently” Todd Kasdan and Robert Biswas-Diener write:
Truly happy people seem to have an intuitive grasp of the fact that sustained happiness is not just about doing things that you like. It also requires growth and adventuring beyond the boundaries of your comfort zone. Happy people are, simply put, curious.
Curiosity, it seems, is largely about exploration — often at the price of momentary happiness. Curious people generally accept the notion that while being uncomfortable and vulnerable is not an easy path, it is the most direct route to becoming stronger and wiser. (Psychology Today July/August 2012 p. 53)
Freedom requires truth. How willing are you to explore your Story for truth (the facts and reality of your life)? How curious are you?
Go for it!
More than negative vs. positive, happy people seem to experience life as an adventure. They face the day with joy, gratitude and appreciation … curiosity. Life is big and designed to be explored … including their leadership development.
People who know their purpose and live with passion while serving others are happier. Overcoming fear, they challenge comfort zones and go for it. Who do you want on your team?
Welcome to “Spacious Place”
What would happen to “employee morale” if you and your team work as free people … living with purpose and passion while seeing and serving others?
- Purpose – Why you work beyond making a living. What’s the difference you want to make in the world? Why are you here?
- Passion – What do you love to do?
- Seeing others – How well do you see the people around you?
- Serving others – How do you help others achieve success?
Imagine how engagement and productivity would soar if you and your team enjoyed the freedom and happiness that comes with “living life with purpose and passion while seeing and serving others.”
Sure, you can have “one of those days” but on the whole, how do others experience you at work?
If the unhappy people were fired, what would happen in your Story?
Photo credit: Aaron Hockley via Compfight
Here’s another idea…just don’t hire unhappy people. Just sayin’
Lucy
If/when the recruiting/hiring process is that effective, I agree, prevention is a great idea. What about the individual who starts “happy” and truly “grateful for the opportunity” but becomes “unhappy?”
Of course, I have some questions: Are they in the right seat on the bus? How am I supporting the employee? What happened, why the change? As well as, is it time for an “upgrade”?
Thanks, Lucy, as always you add to the story!
This is an interesting concept – curiosity being a coefficient of happiness . It also seems to tie into the joy of youth.
I was blessed to spend a week at camp with 7-9 year old boys and just returned late last night. I saw wonder and curiosity in most boys and I saw unfathomable happiness in these boys. I also saw a dark cloud around some boys who rejected new adventures and were in the rut of being “fed” their entertainment at home. I myself have been guilty of that convenient arrangement with my children. An adjustment can and will be made there.
On the note of this curious joy, life’s circumstances, while impacting, were NOT the determining factor of the level of children’s joy. Rather, some kids with less than favorable home situations (DHS, in and out of foster homes, etc) still had joy and it was tied to their curiosity.
So… when we “buck” change, however difficult, and lose our curiosity, we lose our joy. Love this lesson, no matter the age of the pupil.
Thanks again.
Jeffrey
Your comments cause me to think of happiness as a by-product not the goal. Curiosity, exploration, willingness to escape my comfort zone all require energy. This brings to mind the vital support physical energy (nutrition, rest, exercise, renewal) brings to us emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. (Check-out Tony Schwartz’s Be Excellent at Anything) It takes energy to explore. I agree, it is so easy to allow entertainment and technology to steal both time and curiosity to get moving.
Thanks for adding to the story, Jeffrey!