Are you a praise giver or taker? How you respond may offer a clue into your level of happiness at work. Happiness researcher Shawn Achor has made a name for himself studying the many facets of happiness. His research has uncovered a startling connection between praise and happiness: the more praise you give, the happier…
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When Persistence is Just Plain Stupid
When my kids were babies, it was fascinating to watch them learn to walk. One of my kids was determined from a very early age—far before it was physically feasible—to stand upright in what my husband and I can only assume was an attempt to begin to walk. We have pictures of our seven-month old…
Manners Matter at Work
Far from being an outdated, quaint throwback, manners are still in vogue at work. “Please” and “thank you” go a long way towards greasing the cogs of social interaction in the workplace. You might be skeptical of my claim, given our country’s current election cycle. But look past the soundbites of the 24/7 news cycle,…
No Pollyannas Allowed – The Case for Rational Optimism
After a powerful presentation on “The Optimism Quotient: Changing Our Mind, Fueling Our Success” at the WorkHuman conference, happiness researcher Michelle Gielan conducted a Q & A. One of the first questions out of the gate is probably one she hears a lot. An audience member said, “I really believe in the power of an…
The One Thing Your Leadership Success Depends On
This quote comes from Christine Porath’s WorkHuman session called, “Civility: Do We Have Time to Be Nice at Work?” Christine is an associate professor of management at Georgetown University. She’s studied civility in the workplace for the past twenty years and has conducted some fascinating research regarding the ways people interact in the workplace. Christine…