Flourishing in 2013

Martin Segliman, a positive psychology guru, has shifted his work from happiness to flourishing. He invites us to go for lasting well-being (for all) instead of temporary boosts of pleasure (for me). Flourishing is about growth, learning and service to life regardless of circumstance. The elements of his model include:

• Positive emotions (of which happiness and life satisfaction are all aspects): Feeling joy, exuberance, love, passion, etc.
• Engagement: Being in flow
• Relationships: Experiencing interconnectedness
• Meaning: Contributing to something greater than self
• Achievement: Accomplishing 

Try out some of his exercises if the idea of thriving (instead of just surviving) calls you:

• Do a random act of kindness 
• Write down what you accomplish each day and why it is meaningful
• Use your signature strengths* as a human being to tackle unpleasant tasks
• Apply 2.9:1 positive to negative comment ratio (at work) and 5:1 (at home)

*To learn more about signature strengths check out the book Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being

To learn more about flourishing check out this tube video

Teamwork is a Strategic Decision!

Patrick Lencioni has shifted from talking about team dysfunction to the strategic advantage of team work. This approach is more inviting and the strength of his position is one I share. He states, "Team work is not a virtue it is a choice. It is a strategic decision not a default."

Like anything of value, teaming takes work and (dare I say it) sacrifice. In sports it's a given. Millions of dollars are invested in cutting edge strategy, nutrition, exercise, assessment, psychology, coaching, recruiting, medicine and daily practice. In business we still throw groups of people together and say, "go win the game" neglecting to provide the vision, support, training and scoreboard necessary to sustain high performance. Why?

Do we really believe a team is greater than the sum of its parts? Are we overwhelmed by all the books on the topic? Are we tired of team building that generates smiles but not numbers? Do we expect to win without practice? Are we demotivated by outdated performance management systems? Do we believe collaboration takes more time? Do we expect our leaders to drive performance? Are we reliant on fear-based strategies that seem to work? Do we want ease at the expense of results?  Have we lost a common cause? Are we hypnotized by our never-ending to do list?

If you want the benefits of stellar team performance (innovation, higher profit margins, better customer loyalty, lower health care costs, happier employees) what are you willing to invest? How much time, energy, attention and money are you willing to give to cultivate it? Lencioni asserts "teamwork is the last competitive advantage in business." What do you think?

Here is a 1 minute video http://www.tablegroup.com/pat/?tab=pov (click on "Pat on Teamwork") to ponder.

Our Strategic Team Alignment Programs explore team myths, measure success and provide a roadmap to accelerate synergy. Yes it is possible!