Cape Town - A leader needs to be generous in their giving of time and expertise to develop an attitude of abundance in their team.
I started my week with an early morning meeting with a colleague who is abundant in mentality. I realised that I left the meeting energised after our conversation around the value of developing good energy and working with people who give of their time, expertise and contacts, as it is in collaboration that you will both benefit tenfold.
Attitude, like optimism, can be learnt. Set a good example and always focus on the positive, even when addressing the negative. Turn situations around when you can – it will become a good habit. Happiness at work is not a treat, but a right. It has been proven that happy people are productive people… so why would a leader not do everything in their power to make their people happy at work? Encourage your team to counteract every negative story by telling a positive one.
Leaders who prioritise happiness see a difference in their workforce, and ultimately in overall results. High performance and happiness are linked if research by neuroscientists, industrial psychologists and economists is accurate. It can be measured in sick leave and absenteeism.
Happy people claim to spend more hours being productive as a result of being more energised. Unhappy people can bring down morale. Happy people are more engaged, motivated and have a higher sense of self-belief. Happiness is a mindset. When an individual feels a connection with an organisation he is more likely to be happy.
Harmony is enjoyed when there is cohesion in a team, when everyone makes an effort to get along. While there will be dissention and disagreements, if they are tackled in a professional manner, harmony is constant. Enjoying the people you work with makes work feel like fun. Allow a sense of fun to pervade your corporate culture. Include fun tasks, outings, challenges and employ fun people!
A team that has fun together exhibits better cohesion and when the going gets tough they are able to look back positively on these times and cemented relationships.
* Handley is a brand, high performance and leadership specialist. For information on her books and courses see www.jennyhandley.co.za. Follow her on Twitter: Jenny_Handley and Facebook: Jenny Handley Performance Management.
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