Joy

Lead with a lighter heart!

In today's relentless pursuit of success, the concept of "joy" often feels relegated to the sidelines, a fleeting reward rather than a fundamental ingredient. What if joy isn't just a byproduct of achievement, but a catalyst for it? What if, as leaders, we've underestimated the sheer power of cultivating joy within ourselves and our teams? Let's dive in...

Joy has many forms - excited (intense / high energy), serene (quieter, calmer, harmony), individuated, affiliated (shared with others), anticipatory (desire appears to be imminent) and consummatory (desire has been fulfilled).

Let's explore the many shades of joy:

For

Please see below the arguments for the importance of joy in leadership and work:

• Joy is something you cultivate within, not something you find outside yourself. This resonated deeply with me because leadership, at its core, is an inside job. A study by MIT and Harvard shows that happy employees get sick less often. They are 31% more productive and 55% more creative (source).
  

• Joy can come from purpose. Connect to a larger vision, one that transcends quarterly profits. Think of Patagonia (save our home planet), LEGO (inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow), Expedia (strengthen connections, broaden horizons, and bridge divides), etc. 79% of employees consider a sense of purpose to be more important than salary (source: Indeed).
  

• Joy gives you competitive advantage. Leaders who cultivate joy create a magnetic culture, attract top talent and inspire extraordinary performance. Think of Google’s 20% rule that led to creation of Gmail and Google Maps. Companies with happy employees outperform their competition by 20% (source: Gallup).
  

• Joy is in solving problems and overcoming challenges. Tell me you don’t experience the deepest sense of joy when tackling tough problems, working together as a team, and achieving a shared goal. Think of SpaceX, a restaurant creating a new menu item, etc.

Against

Please see below the counterarguments that challenge the notion that joy is essential for success:

• Focusing on joy is frivolous, unprofessional, childish, and undermines the seriousness of work. The focus should be solely on maximizing output and business results.

• Joy is a distraction. Focusing on joy takes time and resources away from “real work.”

• Joy is subjective and impossible to measure or manage. Focus should be on objective metrics like profit and productivity.

• Joy is a superficial solution to deeper problems. Focus should be on fixing the fundamental issues instead of injecting joy.

So, to wrap this up

The arguments above infer that a balanced approach views joy as a powerful force that can enhance both individual and organizational well-being when implemented authentically and strategically; not a replacement for hard work or addressing systemic issues. Here's some homework for everyone if you may:

• Incorporate small moments of joy in your and/or your team’s daily routines. For e.g. have team lunches, celebrate wins with a high-five, create a “fun jar” filled with silly challenges and rewards.

• Ask yourself... how can I as a leader create challenges and growth opportunities that naturally lead to fulfillment?