AchievingHappiness.com - Helping People to be Highly Successful and Happy

Achieving Happiness Column
for 5-1-05
By Tom Muha, Ph.D.

BE A GREAT LEADER

It’s likely that you’re a leader. It could be in the capacity of an executive in a large organization, a board member of a volunteer group, or a parent who’s managing children. All of these roles require that you work together with others to reach a goal.

Over the last five years various studies have identified different ingredients that propel people to achieve exceptional results while creating an extraordinarily rewarding team environment.

In reviewing the research, I’ve found six common factors that are essential components for producing positive outcomes as well as high levels of teamwork, satisfaction, and loyalty These common factors all contribute to forming the type of relationships that people need to have to be fully committed to a group:

1. A Vision Based on Values. A vision allows people to see that their participation with the group serves a purpose in improving some aspect of their world. Values are the clear guidelines that enable them to know what to do to help their team create a positive result.

2. A Fanatical Focus on Core Concepts: Passion, Performance, Profit. Leaders achieve positive outcomes by fostering people’s passion to do their very best in the most cost-effective manner by enhancing team members understanding of how they contribute to creating success,

3. An Emotionally Intelligent Leadership Team. People who have a positive relationship to their leader feel that their strengths, needs and contributions are understood and appreciated. By reinforcing these positive points, leaders bring out the best in people.

4. A Proactive Problem Solving Process. Having good communication within a team connects people’s knowledge to the problem solving process. Team members will embrace most decisions if their viewpoint on how to solve a problem is taken into consideration.

5. An Optimistic Motivational Method. Leaders promote optimistic attitudes by expressing their faith in people’s ability to overcome challenges. This builds high levels of internal motivation and self-confidence by encouraging people to try out innovative ideas for achieving outstanding results.

6. A Culture Based on Positive Psychology Principles. Team members need to have positive emotional connections with one another. Feeling that others care about their happiness and well-being is the glue that bonds people to a group.

With these six common success factors in mind, I’ve just completed a two year study that examined how an extraordinarily high functioning organization utilizes these principles. The result of this research project has been the creation the PROPEL© model of leadership.

–> PASSION AND PURPOSE were found to be the foremost factors contributing to a highly successful organization with extraordinarily low employee turnover and high customer satisfaction.

The employee’s had tremendous passion for their work because there was a crystal clear vision of the organization’s purpose - provide the best possible service. Because leadership focused on giving an abundance of recognition and rewards for excellence, employees were acutely aware that their jobs made a difference in the overall success of the organization.

–> RESPONDING COLLABORATIVELY to problems allowed leaders to tap into the strengths of their staff and outside resources to find solutions that were efficient and effective. Not only did these leaders make well informed decisions, they generated buy in from all of the stakeholders involved.

From policy changes to selecting new equipment, this strategy shortened decision-making time frames, satisfied the end user and lessened the likelihood of grievance issues.

–> OPTIMISTIC THINKING enabled people to maintain their motivation for doing their best, especially when their job became challenging. Leaders had developed optimistic thinking skills - a deep faith that they’d ultimately succeed.

This optimism inspired the staff and gave them confidence in their ability to achieve peak performance. It fostered the belief among employees that the positive qualities of the organization were permanent features, while any problems were viewed as temporary events.

–> PROACTIVE INQUIRY was a powerful communication tool that this high performing organization used to promote the exchange of ideas for producing the best results. Leaders were very visible and made constant inquires to stay abreast of what was happening. They provided help and infused hope into even the most difficult challenges.

–> ENGAGED EMPLOYEES were readily apparent in this great organization. Top level leaders created a culture that was diligent about taking care of their employees, who in turn exhibited extensive energy for taking care of one another as well as their customers.

–> LIBERATING LEADERSHIP removed the fear of being found at fault. Whether facing problems or setting goals, leaders promoted prudent risk taking among subordinates by encouraging them to look for innovative ways to achieve extraordinary results.

Tom Muha is a psychologist in Annapolis. He welcomes your comments and questions. To contact him call (443) 454-7274 or email him at tom@achievinghappiness.com.