The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor
We want to model Nadine West after Zappos.
- Happy employees = Happy customers.
- Happy customers = Happy company.
Which means, we need to study the science and psychology of happiness.
Below are my notes from Shawn Achor’s book The Happiness Advantage.
- The science says that we become more successful when we are happier and more positive. Not the other way around.
- Happiness and positive emotions flood our brains with dopamine and serotonin, which enables the brain to learn better and operate more creatively.
- Regular meditation increases happiness by rewiring the brain.
- Committing conscious acts of kindness increases happiness.
- Your physical environment (air, light, TV, pictures) at home and work affects your happiness.
- Exercise releases endorphins, reduces stress, decreases depression, and increases happiness.
- Spending money on experiences and on other people (not on stuff) increases happiness.
- Recognition and praise can be more motivating to employees than money.
- According to researcher Losada, 2.9013 is the break-even ratio between positive interactions and negative interactions at work. Always stay above this, ideally around 6:1 positive to negative.
- A positive, optimistic attitude is the most powerful predictor of job performance.
- A calling >> a career >> a job.
- Train your brain to be happy by practicing gratitude, such as a gratitude journal.
- Train your brain for resiliency by reframing setbacks as learning opportunities.
- To guard against irrational, emotional thinking, separate your stresses into 1) have control over and 2) do NOT have control over.
- Success happens one day at a time. (aka Kaizen)
- Thoughts => action => habits => character => destiny.
- Willpower is a limited resource.
- Therefore, engineer the adoption of a habit so you don’t have to rely on willpower. For example, sleep in your gym clothes to work out first thing in the morning.
- Social relationships are the single biggest driver of happiness.
- The manager/employee relationship is the strongest predictor of employee productivity and retention.
- Positive emotions are contagious. So be a good leader and share your happiness with the world.