Happiness: how to change your business outcomes

Shawn Achor's book, The Happiness Advantageis a must-read "(sic) for everyone trying to excel in a world of increasing workloads, stress, and negativity. The Happiness Advantage is about how to reap the benefits of a happier and more positive mind-set to achieve the extraordinary in our our work and in our lives". (The Happiness Advantage website)

Every business has people that are unhappy.

They may be suffering a marriage breakdown, health problems, workload issues or they may just be down for their own personal reasons.

Managers who identify that people in their team are unhappy and who take time out to ascertain what will help them make a positive change in their lives will not only benefit the employee but it will also help the businesses outcomes.

Employees often put a negative spin on when happiness occurs. How many times have you heard someone say "when I finish this project, I will be happy"? I always like the one where people say that "when they lose weight, they will be happy". How many times do you hear this?

Large organisations, particularly in economies that are struggling right now, have the biggest issue with "happiness" within their businesses because people focus on the negative and not the positive. "I won't be getting my bonus this year" is a common employee downer. The other is that many employees in this situation focus on the negative media around the economy and jobs rather than thinking about the bright side of a down-turn. You may ask what the bright side would be and for me, as a marketer, it's quite easy. Businesses can thrive in a down economy by not focusing on the negative. Instead, re-invest in your people and in marketing, and you will definately see a positive turn in your business.

Often therapy isn't the right outcome either for those who can't see the forest for the trees. If you have ever been to a therapist, you will know that you when you go in with one problem, you walk out knowing that you don't have one problem, in fact, you have 10 problems.

When employees say that they are stressed, you know that this is positive in some ways because through stress, people are able to reach their potential.

Changing mindset isn't easy but it is important to change the view of the lense on how we view happiness and to surround yourself with incredible people, that give you as many positive experiences as you give them.

Some tips to changing your mindset include:

• Jot down three things they were grateful for.

• Write a positive message to someone in their social support network.

• Meditate at their desk for two minutes.

• Exercise for 10 minutes.

• Take two minutes to describe in a journal the most meaningful experience of the past 24 hours.

Let me know how you go!