The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

  • Monday Tip: Make an apology

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    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

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    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

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    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…)

  • Happy jobs in London

    2 weeks ago I was in London on vacation with my wonderful girlfriend, and while our time was spent almost exclusively on shopping, good food and musicals, I also stumbled on a couple of interesting things, happy-at-work-wise.

    At a Pret A Manger (which is Britain’s version of Starbucks with better food) I saw this sign:

    Pret

    The headline is Good jobs, good people and the text is all about how good working for Pret is.

    But the best one was this sign in the window of the Prime Time video rental store next to the Earl’s Court tube station:

    Happy smiling staff required

    Happy, smiling staff required. I love it! These are sure signs that happy employees is increasingly becoming something that companies want. They recognize that happy people are motivated, productive and better at service.

    And of course the two ways to get happy employees is to give them god jobs (as Pret promises on their sign) or to hire people who are already happy (as Prime Time video does). The very best way is of course to combine these two approaches :o)

  • A question for ya: Office celebrations

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    QuestionYou rock and you know it. Your group, team, department or entire company has just reached a major milestone, completed a project, gotten that huge sale or otherwise kicked butt.

    What would be a great way to celebrate it? How do you mark your accomplishments?

    Write a comment, I’d really like to know!

  • Monday Tip: Ask a new co-worker how he’s doing

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    The Chief Happiness Officer's monday tipsStarting a new job can be a scary experience. You have new tasks, new co-workers, new rules, a new manager, new everything.

    So your mission for this monday is to do something for a person who’s come to your workplace recently. Seek out a new co-worker – say, someone who’s been there three months or less – and ask that person how things are going and what they like about working here.

    Get to know that person if you don’t already. Where did he work before? Where does she live? How’s the new job going?

    If there’s any way you can help, make sure to offer your advice, your thoughts or your help. New people often appreciate a little help at first and at the very least some positive interest is always nice.

    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.

  • Friday links

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    InventionlandCoolest. Office. Ever. I thought I’d found 10 pretty cool offices, but Inventionland is wild and weird and I love it. Video here. (Thanks Kareem Mayan and Michael Rizzo).

    Aaron Swartz gets his first taste of corporate life after reddit.com was bought by Wired. Gray walls, gray desks, gray noise. The first day I showed up here, I simply couldn’t take it. By lunch time I had literally locked myself in a bathroom stall and started crying. I can’t imagine staying sane with someone buzzing in my ear all day, let alone getting any actual work done. Best commentary on this: Working at reddit: Wired. Working at Wired: Tired!

    The executive coloring book. MAN that’s funny. And depressing :o)

  • Speech of my life

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    Alexander Kjerulf presentingOne hour ago, I gave my best speech on happiness at work so far to 400 people from the The Directorate for Food, Fisheries and Agri Business here in Copenhagen. I’m sitting in a nearby café totally buzzing with the energy of getting up in front of a big crowd and totally kicking butt :o)

    I tried out a completely new format for this presentation, one that involves music, clapping, high-fives, various exercises that are more meditative and of course some presentations by yours truly. It works. No, let me rephrase that: IT WORKS and I rock :o)

    The feedback from the participants was amazingly positive. They especially remarked on the format, my energy, the topic (happiness at work, of course) and on the fact that it was accessible and practical.

    I can’t wait to do it again, preferrably real soon!! MAN, I love being me.

  • How democratic is your workplace

    WorldBlu Scorecard

    My friends at WorldBlu are looking for the world’s most democratic companies. Is your workplace among them?

    WorldBlu CEO Traci Fenton writes:

    The time has never been better for honoring the mavericks of freedom in the workplace, and inspiring others.

    The WorldBlu Search for the Most Democratic Workplaces?? is a GLOBAL search from November 1, 2006 until February 16, 2007 designed to identify organizations from the for-profit, non-profit, government, and education sectors practicing organizational democracy.

    Recognizing the Mavericks, Inspiring Others:
    We believe there are many highly successful and profitable – yet often unnoticed – examples of democracy in the workplace. These organizations are defying convention, rewriting the rules of business, and pioneering the next generation of organizational design and leadership. The WorldBlu List of Most Democratic Workplaces?? seeks to shine a spotlight on these champions of freedom and inspire others in the process.

    The WorldBlu List of Most Democratic Workplaces 2007:
    On March 6, 2007, WorldBlu will announce the first annual WorldBlu List of Most Democratic Workplaces?? in conjunction with the celebration of Democracy in the Workplace Day.

    Learn More + Get Started:
    To learn more or have your organization get started now to apply for the WorldBlu List, please go to .

    Basically, they need as many organizations as possible to take their scorecard and participating companies not only learn how democratic they are compared to others, they also get specific tips on how they can become more democratic.

    Of course there is a huge link between democracy and happiness at work. People who work in democratic organizations are more involved, take more responsibility, are more motivated, more productive and happier than employees of authoritarian companies. This also makes democratic organizations more successful. You can read all about it here.

    So go check out the scorecard and sign up your company!

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