POWERFUL PRACTICES FEATURE ARTICLES

THE KEY TO HAPPINESS IN THE WORKPLACE:
A Lesson from the Happiest Person in the World
By Dr Paul Lanthois

Happiness can be a real deal clincher. With very little often separating competing bids and tenders, the deciding factor often comes down to how pleasurable it has been in dealing with the people involved. But are people naturally happy or is it a skill that can be learnt? I learnt the answer from who I regard as the "happiest person in the world" and the answer might have you reassess how and who you hire.

A couple of years ago I was fortunate to help out at a health centre where I was reunited with a former work colleague of mine. Berni Ireland worked with me for three years before she moved to Queensland's Gold Coast with her husband. In all my years of working with Berni, she always had a smile on her face and a happy outgoing disposition. I have known Berni for over 15 years now and I can't ever recall a frown or a phrase uttered in a negative tone coming from Berni. She wasn't one of those fake, Pollyanna types who weren't connected with reality. Berni was genuinely caring and loving in her character and she was always happy. Berni would win my vote for the happiest person in the world.

During my brief stint working at this health centre, Berni and her husband Mick invited me to stay at their house. The first morning at their house I was woken at 5.30am to what I thought were faint sounds of laughter and giggling. After fifteen minutes, this chorus of laughing was getting stronger. Curiosity got the better of me so I trudged out of bed to get a glass of water. As I walked past their home office, I caught a glance at Berni, dressed in her exercise gear laughing. On returning from the kitchen, I glanced into the room again and Berni saw me, "Good morning. Isn't it a delightful morning,” she beamed in the most genuine and kind manner. I noticed that she was dressed in her exercise clothes and was doing what appeared to be laughing exercises.

I returned to my room with a warm glow in my heart. "So that's how she does it!" I said to myself. "No wonder she is so happy. She is the only person I knew who actually practices laughing."  Sure, I have heard of those laughing groups that get together but I dismissed it as an "only In America" activity.

Whether practicing laughing is your thing or not it definitely pays to treat happiness as a skill that requires practice and can be developed. How can you begin exercising your happiness muscles? You can try what I did.
When learning anything about sport, school, business or relationships I placed very little credence on academic qualifications or position. I only paid attention to people who were more skilled or successful than me in a particular area. As the cliché goes, "Talk is cheap." I chose to pay attention to people who walked their talk.

I chose to observe and study people who had busy, challenging lives who were also happy. I asked them questions about how they coped in certain situations and I copied many of their approaches.

If you don't know of anyone who is really happy, then read about someone who you admire or re-learn some happiness strategies from a therapist.

This is where the workplace can be of great support for employees struggling handling stress. Happiness and optimism are priceless skills that I believe surpass any form of technical training. By placing greater emphasis on employing happy, optimistic people, not only will they help encourage a more enjoyable work environment, but they will also be an invaluable resource in helping show others how to more effectively manage stress.

Dr. Paul Lanthois is a Powerful Practices Foundation member, chiropractor, corporate speaker and author of From Burnout to Balance in Four Weeks : The corporate health to boost morale and productivity in the workplace. He is the director of the Work Life Balance Foundation (www.WorkLifeBalanceFoundation.com ) that focuses on sharing holistic wellness, stress management and work-life balance strategies designed for the time-poor.

Berni Ireland CCA is a Mentor , Coach and  Principal CA Tutor for  The Centre For Powerful Practices and  is based, on the Gold Coast, Queensland . Berni has had a career in Chiropractic for 20 years. All the clinics Berni has been involved in have become bathed in positiveness and full of fun. (we wonder why!)