As a servant leader do you care if people are happy? I wish there was a happiness meter, as I believe this would be an important metric for any team. Employee engagement surveys are often a good barometer of happiness and employee morale.

I had the great honor and joy to celebrate Dan’s (my youngest son) wedding on Saturday with the love of his life, Jenna.

Before the wedding, Jenna’s Dad shared with me that when Dan asked him if he could marry his daughter, Dan told him that Jenna made him so happy, and he wants to be that happy for the rest of his life.

People like to be happy. They marry someone who makes them happy. That takes care of their personal life, but they like to be happy in the workplace as well.

I have a client whose purpose is “To make a safer, healthier, happier, and more productive world for their employees and families, their customers, and their communities”. They strive for this and accomplish it as they produce products that definitely make people happier. Their employees have shared with me how real this is, as they feel it daily. What a noble purpose!

What are you doing as a leader to ensure your people are happy?

I ask servant leadership-training participants all the time about the attributes of their favorite boss. Inevitably, they describe attributes of a boss that have made them happy. Being intentional about the following will make people happy:

  • Truly care about people
  • Listen
  • Recognize and encourage (Be a cheerleader!)
  • Be thankful
  • Coach through challenges
  • Challenge and expect their best.
  • Celebrate accomplishments

A focus on happiness will:

  • Build energy
  • Build performance
  • Build relationships
  • Attract people
  • Multiply happiness
  • Enhance the world

The more you focus on happiness the more people will want to be on your team. What are you doing to create a happier world?

Mark Deterding

 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. Ecclesiastes 3:12