No, the answer doesn’t include a magic wand!
The answer is focusing on the learnings of Positive Psychology.
Positive Psychology, as defined by the Positive Psychology Centre, is the scientific study of the strengths that enable individuals and communities to thrive. The field is founded on the belief that people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best within themselves, and to enhance their experiences of love, work, and play.
The following talk by Shawn Achor is encouraging, insightful and funny. His basis seems to be why not study those who are above average for productivity, happiness, whatever and try and move everyone to that higher potential.
https://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work
The difficulty in realising all these positive, scientifically-proven results in most organizations is the change of mind set to focusing on the positive rather than the negative. Most organizations focus on people’s development areas (weaknesses), where they can improve, what they need to change. A positive focus is about what employees do well already, their strengths, their passions and how to leverage those more towards the organization’s goals (to which their purpose is ideally aligned as well).
Some simple exercises Shawn (quickly) mentions in the video are:
- Write down 3 positives from that day, every day – focuses the mind’s eye on positive
- Journal about 1 positive experience you’ve had over the last 24 hours – this allows your brain to re-live it
- Exercise – teaches your brain that your behaviour matters
- Mediation – to get over the cultural multitasking that’s so pervasive now
- Acts of kindness
Simple and effective.
What 1 positive experience have you had in the last 24 hours? Now re-live it.
