• Friday Links

    HappyThe Slow Leadership Blog has The Truth about Communication. Have you ever asked yourself why so many communications are “top down???? The answer is simple: because they are all about control.
    That’s a critical insight. I agree!

    Negative people are bad four your brain – a classic from Kathy Sierra. The idea seems to be that “happy people” implies those who are oblivious to the realities of life, in a fantasy of their own creation, and without the ability to think critically. The science, however, suggests just the opposite.
    Where did we ever get the idea, that negative people are somehow more realistic and smarter than positive people? In my opinion, it’s just way too easy to be negative and you can always criticize and shoot ideas down. Being positive and supportive demands more from a person.

    And speaking of negative people, the world sucks, and the Helsinki Complaints Choir will tell you exactly how.


  • A question for ya: Books about happiness at work

    QuestionSay, I’ve been hankering to read some good books about happiness at work.

    You can see my top 10 favorite books so far here (fiction and non-fiction), with my reviews. Hmmmm… that list is from 2004 – gotta update it soon.

    Can you recommend some more great ones? Write a comment!

    If you’d like to recommend a really great novel as well, don’t hold yourself back :o)


  • How to procrastinate effectively

    Procrastinate effectively

    Search for procrastination on google and you’ll find a massive number of articles on how to stop procrastinating and get stuff done.

    They will tell you that there is only one reliable way to get stuff done:

    1. Check todo-list for next item
    2. Complete item no matter what it is
    3. Go to step 1

    They’ll tell you that if only you had enough willpower, backbone, self-control and discipline this is how you would work too.

    Well guess what: Most people don’t work that way. Sometimes you’re in the mood for task X and doing X is ridiculously easy and a lot of fun. Sometimes doing X feels worse than walking barefoot over burning-hot, acid-covered, broken glass and forcing yourself to do it anyway is a frustrating exercise in futility.

    Sometimes procrastinating is exactly the right thing to do at a particular moment. This is largely ignored by the procrastination-is-a-sign-of-weakness, the-devil-finds-work-for-idle-hands crowd.
    (more…)


  • A question for ya: Marketing my book

    Happy at work bookYesterday I finished the happy at work book, updating it according to all the great feedback you guys gave me. Thank you to everyone who read a chapter, and gave me their input. Today the book goes out to proofreading and then it’ll be done.

    Now I have a question for ya: How do I market and sell the book?

    Here’s what I’m currently thinking of doing:

    • The book will be available in pdf for $20 and on paper from lulu.com and amazon for $30.
    • I’ll give away 100 electronic copies of the book to the first 100 bloggers who sign up to ask for one. (Don’t sign up yet, there’ll be an official announcement later.)
    • I’ll contact all the bloggers that write about happiness at work or similar topics and offer them a free copy of the book as well as the chance to do an interview with me.
    • I’ll advertise the book in the sidebar here on the blog and at the end of every post.
    • I’ll be posting excerpts from the book as blogposts.
    • I’ll make the whole book available for free as html here on the blog.

    What else can I do to make the book a huge hit? Write a comment!


  • Yep, that’s me :o)

    Wanna see what I look like when I speak? Look below the fold.

    You gotta promise not to laugh, though :o)
    (more…)


  • Monday Tip: Make an apology

    The Chief Happiness Officer's monday tipsIs there an apology you should’ve made, that you’ve been postponing? Make it this monday.

    Apologizing at work is a hugely important skill. A well-timed, sincere apology is a great way to resolve conflicts, to enhance learning and to move on from difficult situations.

    So if you’ve recently made a mistake, annoyed someone, spoken to harshly, etc. take the chance and apologize right now.

    The Chief Happiness Officer’s monday tips are simple, easy, fun things you can do to make yourself and others happy at work and get the work-week off to a great start. Something everyone can do in five minutes, tops. When you try it, write a comment here to tell me how it went.

    Previous monday tips.


  • Please don’t hate us

    And speaking of funny signs in shops, here’s one that Lars Plougmann spotted in a Gray’s Papaya store in New york:

    Please don't hate us
    (Click for full size)

    Dare to be different!


  • Friday Links

    Richard BransonA couple of good articles about Richard Branson. “I don’t think of work as work and play as play. It’s all living.” That’s definitely a top executive to learn from.

    The bad news: We bring bad moods at work home. The good news: They’re gone by morning. I’m not so sure. I think it depends very much on how bad the mood is.

    Half of the good people in your company may be leaving. A recent workplace survey of 16,237 workers found that nearly half the people regarded as stellar performers were actively trying to leave their current employers.


  • Business lessons from the Nintendo Wii

    Wii

    The new Nintendo Wii game console that just came out breaks the mold. Where the competing Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony Playstation 3 machines are just more of the same (only faster and with better graphics) the Wii has broken new ground both with the product itself but also in the development process and in their marketing.

    Nintendo are on to something here and the buzz right now seems to favor them over the competition, which of course begs the questions “How did they do it?” and “What can other businesses learn and steal borrow from them?”

    Read on to see my favorite business lessons from the Nintendo Wii.
    (more…)



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